Letter: No cheese ban

THE GOVERNMENT has not proposed a ban on cheeses made with raw cow's milk ("Britain's finest cheese threatened...", 1 February). We are, however, in the process of consulting on proposals to ban the sale of raw cows' drinking milk only. No legislation has been put forward yet. The move is based on independent scientific advice from the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food. There is clear evidence that raw milk can contain bacteria that are dangerous to human health.

The consultation period has, incidentally, been extended to 24 February.

Jeff Rooker, MP

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food