Pasteurized Milk? Raw milk? What's the difference?

Is it safe? legal?

Pasteurization is when you heat a liquid for a period of time in order to kill all microorganisms. Of course this can kill the good bacteria as well. Raw milk cheese is safe, as cheese is preserved through salting, drying, and acidulation, all of which create an environment inhospitable to pathogens. The USDA feels that raw milk cheese must be aged sixty days to be considered legal and safe. It's not so much the process in which the cheese is made that can be harmful but more the handling of it. You must trust your cheese resource where ever you get it.