Guns Drawn in Raid on Raw Food Store in Venice

For many, the crux of the raw foods debate has to do with the politics of eating. Should the government tell us what we cannot eat?

On June 30th, Rawesome, an organic co-op grocery in Venice, was the subject of a raid conducted "by federal, state and local authorities," which targeted the store's raw dairy products, according to the LA Times.

Guns drawn, officers of the Los Angeles County's District Attorney's office entered the premises and seized the contraband, including "cartons of raw goat and cow milk and blocks of unpasteurized goat cheese," and other items.

The battle line is drawn between those who are concerned about food safety, and consumers who seek food that has not been altered from its purest form. While it's "legal for licensed dairies to sell raw milk at retail outlets in California," authorities say Rawesome did not have the right permits to sell those products to the public.

Four days after the raid, Rawesome re-stocked their shelves and opened up for business again, asking patrons to sign legal waivers for being customers. The investigation by the DA's office and the FDA remains ongoing.