Watching the Board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) discuss the Microbiological Safety of Raw Drinking Milk (as agenda item 4.2 was titled) and the proposed review of controls at its meeting last month was really rather depressing and the outcome entirely predictable.

The tone of the meeting was set when Tim Smith, Chief Executive of the FSA, declared an interest as  CEO of Arla Foods UK plc prior to his appointment at the FSA stating: “(M)y views on the sale and consumption of raw milk are a matter of public record.” He did not say what those views were, I googled them but couldn’t find them, but I can't help but think it is probably safe to conclude that he is no supporter of the availability of raw milk to say the least.