IN AUSTRALIA, raw unpasteurised milk is regarded by regulatory authorities as a dangerous substance that can't be permitted into the food chain.
In Italy, and across much of Europe, the authorities are cautiously allowing liquid raw milk to make a reappearance (although it has long been allowed in cheese, a use also banned in Australia).
However, in the Italian case it took a good slice of innovation to ease the return of liquid raw milk.
Take the case of the Cozoserno Cozolat, an increasingly familiar machine in urban Italy, one of which was stationed outside the Slow Food Salone del Gusto.
Owned by the Cozoserno dairy co-operative, the portable Cozolat machines allow producers to sell raw milk directly to the public - no pasteurisation costs, and no packaging costs.
The machines are topped up each morning at the co-operative depot and are towed into position near schools and shopping areas. Milk is held at a steady 4°C throughout the day.
As demonstrated by Lorenzo Rossari, pictured, consumers take their milk - sold at Salone for one euro per litre - in old-fashioned glass screw-top one litre bottles, either available from the machine or brought back by the raw milk lover from a previous visit.
The machine also washes and sterilises used bottles on-site, removing a potential source of user error.
Cozoserno is currently Italy's only distributor of raw milk.
* The Australian chapter of Slow Food is conducting a campaign to allow the use of raw milk cheese - see http://slowfoodaustralia.com.au/projects/australia/raw-milk-cheese
