Advancing Raw Milk Safety and Quality: A Critical Review of Existing and Emerging Nonthermal Technologies.

Growing consumer demand for minimally processed, nutritionally intact dairy products has heightened the imperative to enhance raw milk safety while preserving its inherent composition. This review critically evaluates established nonthermal technologies, including ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation, cold plasma (CP), high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), and microfiltration (MF), alongside emerging innovations such as nanotechnology-enhanced filtration, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization, and blockchain traceability. In contrast to conventional pasteurization, which often degrades thermolabile nutrients and modifies sensory attributes, these nonthermal approaches provide effective pathogen inactivation with superior quality retention. Recent developments in multi-hurdle strategies, integrating multiple nonthermal methods, demonstrate substantial promise for bolstering microbial safety and product uniformity. These achieve reductions of up to 6 log10 in key pathogens like Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, while maintaining over 80% of vitamins and bioactive compounds (lactoferrin). The review synthesizes contemporary evidence on mechanisms, efficacy, and applicability, emphasizing impacts on vitamins, enzymes, and probiotic retention. It highlights synergistic systems (HPP+PEF, MF+UV-C) and their socioeconomic benefits, including premium market positioning and employment generation, as well as environmental advantages such as reduced energy consumption and lower waste. Moreover, it explores how these technologies address evolving consumer demands, sustainability objectives, and regulatory requirements. By offering a comprehensive, forward-looking analysis, this work illustrates the transformative potential of nonthermal innovations in the dairy sector. This review advances a convergent framework that critically integrates nonthermal processing with digital tools (AI, blockchain), aligning technological efficacy with supply chain transparency, regulatory pathways, and consumer confidence.