United States raw milk debate systematic review of the food safety of unpasteurized milk concluded that science-based data to substantiate claims of health benefits "are lacking or do not exist" and the risks associated with disease outbreaks as a result of raw milk consumption are "considerably higher". Pasteurization was first used in the United States in the 1890s after the discovery of germ theory to control the hazards of highly contagious bacterial diseases, including bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, that could be easily transmitted to humans through the drinking of raw milk. Initially after the scientific discovery of bacteria, no product testing was available to determine
A2 milk milk" and "A2 MILK" are trademarks held by the a2 Milk Company. A2 Corporation licensed patents filed in the 1990s by the New Zealand Dairy Board, and filed its own patents on genetic tests to determine what form of beta-casein cows produce in milk, and concerning potential adverse health consequences of A1 milk. The a2 Milk Company holds a worldwide suite of intellectual property to protect its business products, trademarks, trade secrets, and patents covering the genetic test and methods to develop A2 producing herds, as well as methods to check the protein content and fatty acid content of milk,