Raw dairy safety breakthrough: FDA approves Tamarack Biotics’ non-thermal UV light milk treatment

In a “historic” milestone for food safety and nutrition, the US FDA has approved Tamarack Biotics’ UV light-based milk treatment process. This opens the door to a new generation of dairy products that retain the full bioactive benefits of raw milk by not using heat. 

Tamarack Biotics’ TruActive process eliminates harmful pathogens while preserving the enzymes, proteins, and immunity-supporting compounds that traditional heat-based pasteurization often destroys.

The result is a scientifically verified, safe, raw milk equivalent — a “first in the dairy industry and an exciting development for the growing public demand for raw and minimally processed foods,” Tamarack highlights.

“Safe treatment of milk hasn’t fundamentally changed in over 150 years,” says Bob Comstock, CEO of Tamarack Biotics. “We’ve created a solution that brings raw milk safety into the 21st century, without sacrificing what makes milk truly nutritious. Our UV process actually achieves a greater level of safety than thermal pasteurization, which is truly remarkable.”

Alternative to pasteurization

The new method is not another pasteurization method, which has been a standard heat-based treatment for decades. Tamarack Biotics claims its light-focusing treatment preserves the taste and creaminess of raw milk.

It also says the TruActive process is more sustainable than thermal processing, using “far less energy.”

The FDA’s determination confirms that Tamarack’s method meets the official efficacy criteria for pasteurization, allowing for its initial use in powdered dairy ingredients such as whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, and immune-supporting compounds like lactoferrin.

Tamarack Biotics has already expanded TruActive to other dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, kefir, and colostrum.

The company says these steps are paving the way for regulatory approval of the TruActive treatment in liquid raw milk as early as 2027.

Bridging nutrient value with food safety

Raw milk proponents often trumpet its higher nutritional content. Tamarack Biotics highlights numerous European studies that have proved that raw milk consumption protects children from developing allergies such as asthma, eczema, and food allergies.

However, health experts frequently warn of the dangerous bacteria and parasites raw milk can contain.

Last March, West Virginia passed a bill loosening restrictions on raw milk. Several politicians who celebrated by drinking it fell ill with symptoms like fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

While state health officials investigated if the unpasteurized milk was to blame, some lawmakers, including one who sponsored the bill, claimed their sickness was due to an unrelated stomach bug circulating the Capitol.

TrueActive offers the possibility of bridging dairy nutrient value with food safety. A UC Davis clinical trial demonstrated that a milk protein concentrate treated with the TruActive process restored immune function in aging populations.

“Tamarack’s light-based system delivers the compounds believed responsible for allergy protection with none of the risks associated with unpasteurized dairy,” highlights Tamarack Biotics.