Today is the premiere of the seventh season of Farmen kendis, where twelve new participants will live and run a farm in 1923.
During the six long weeks on the farm, the participants are dependent on the diet found on the farm and food they can buy on the market – if they manage the weekly task.
If they do not, they are more dependent on the food and nutrition available on the farm. Milk in particular is one of the most important sources of nutrition they have.
Raw milk, on the other hand, can have serious consequences for health. The participants were not aware of this.
Can lead to serious illness
The diet on Farmen kendis is frequently discussed every season. Potatoes, vegetables and oats make up large parts of the meals. Former participants have also lost a lot of weight, as they are constantly in motion and often do not get enough nutrition.
This year too, the celebrities felt how the monotonous diet affected them.
– The diet was poor. It only worked in potatoes. It’s the most boring thing I’ve eaten in my entire life, says Christopher Mørch Husby, who says that he drank a lot of raw milk during his stay to keep his energy up during the working days.
The participants depended on the few sources of protein available on the farm. What was most readily available was milk from the cows.
However, drinking raw milk is not risk-free. Raw milk straight from the cow can pose a health risk and lead to serious illness, according to FHI their websites.
Unpasteurized milk
Raw milk (unpasteurized milk) was banned from being sold in Norway in 1953.
It is mainly the bacteria Campylobacter, which can lead to E. coliand Listeriawhich poses a health risk by drinking raw milk in Norway.
Source: FHI
– It is true what is written on the FHI. Microbes and bacteria can grow in the milk, which can lead to serious illness. That is why you should always heat the milk to a minimum of 72 degrees before consuming it, says Tine Sundfør.
Sundfør is a clinical nutritionist, and has a doctorate from the University of Oslo. In previous seasons, she has helped the Farmen production to arrange the diet of the participants.
I had no idea about the possible health risks
– What we are most afraid of when consuming unpasteurised milk is listeria, Sundfør tells TV 2.
According to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, “Listeria” exists among other things in the intestine of several animal species. Listeria can cause a rare but serious infection in humans. However, it takes a lot of bacteria to make healthy people sick, and there are potential risk groups that are particularly vulnerable.
– It is mainly those with compromised immune systems and pregnant women who are in the risk group here, says Sundfør.
DANGEROUS?: Due to bacteria that can occur both on the animal and in the milk, it can be dangerous to drink raw milk directly from the cow. Photo: Anton Soggiu/TV 2
When the Farmen celebrity participants were asked by TV 2 whether they were aware of the potential health risks of drinking raw milk, the answer was “no”.
See the participants’ reactions in the video window at the top!
– There were many who felt sick to their stomachs, replies Sofie Karlstad (25).
– Yes, there was a lot of … intestinal flora in there, answers Christopher Mørch Husby (33) and laughs.
Sundfør confirms that it is rare today for people to become seriously ill from unpasteurised milk, as routines around cleanliness during milking are very strict. Stomach problems such as diarrhea are therefore more common.
Illegal in Norway
Karlstad tells TV 2 that she drank very little milk on the farm, and mainly drank it to get protein. The same did not apply to Mørch Husby.
– I drank a lot of that milk, I think it was great. But I think I managed well, says Mørch Husby while Karlstad laughs.
When TV 2 informs the participants that unpasteurized milk became illegal in Norway in the 1950s, Karlstad replies ironically:
– It was a good thing we were in 1923, then!
– Yes, I feel very well looked after now, Mørch Husby adds just as ironically.
Sundfør explains that cleanliness is the most important thing when drinking raw milk straight from the cow.
– Back then (1923, editor’s note) the need for cleanliness was much greater. Today, we follow up dairy cows in a different way. There are stricter requirements for milking, but those who come to the Farm do not necessarily have a clue about this. It is important that they learn about the requirements for cleanliness.
Malin Nesvoll (33), who was responsible for much of the milking on the farm, says she can understand how the participants can get sick from drinking the milk.
– When we were milking, the cow could poo, and then it splashed everywhere. In addition, the cow could be restless, as it was not used to us. They challenged us by kicking the milk pail and pushing us – so the milk was not always as clean.
DRINK A LOT OF MILK: Several of the participants drank a lot of raw milk during their stay. Photo: Anton Soggiu/TV 2
Not just negative
Nesvoll adds that the participants had certain routines before they milked, such as that they always washed the udders with green soap. However, she did not know that the participants were exposed to disease.
Despite the risk that consumption of raw milk poses, Sundfør is not negative about the diet at Farmen celebrity.
– The diet is very good. It is very extreme for us when we compare it to our daily diet, but compared to what we have in 2023 such as sugar, alcohol and general junk food – this is better. People survived in 1923, and lived well on that diet then.
Nevertheless, there are a few things Sundfør believes the participants should get on a daily basis during their stay.
– They depend on meeting our need for minerals and vitamins, so they should use the vegetable garden as much as they can. I would also recommend that they take multivitamins, to cover what they are not getting through their diet.
