Raw milk proponents took another hit last week. The Utah County Health Department has confirmed that six Salmonella poisonings in April were linked to raw milk sold by Real Foods stores in Orem and Heber City, Utah.

Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah reported Friday that health officials found a strain of Salmonella called Newport in several Real Foods raw milk samples. The Utah Department of Agriculture is still trying to determine how the milk became contaminated.

The same news source also reported that new milk produced by the same company has tested clean for the bacteria, and the milk is back on store shelves after a two-week absence.

Advocates of raw milk say it is more nutritious, tastes better, and is no more harmful than pasteurized milk.

But many experts, including government officials and scientists, warn that it can sicken or even kill you. Raw milk potentially contains a wide variety of harmful bacteria – including Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Campylobacter and Brucella – that may cause illness and possibly death.

For more information on raw milk, visit www.realrawmilkfacts.com.