CHARLTON, N.Y. (WRGB) -- As President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faces scrutiny over his controversial beliefs, the debate over raw milk is gaining traction nationwide.

At Willow Marsh Farm in Charlton, raw milk is a top seller, with more than 300 gallons sold weekly. Chuck Curtiss, co-owner of Willow Marsh Farm, said, "We milk the cows twice a day. The milk is filtered, cooled immediately, and then it is filled into these jugs."

Curtiss attributes the popularity of raw milk to its purported health benefits.

"Eczema, ear infections, inflammation, on and on," he said. "And in its purest form, this is a big concern in the public, it's not processed."

However, food experts caution against consuming raw, or unpasteurized, milk due to safety concerns.

"Raw milk accounts for many pathogens. We're very concerned with things that are common, like E. coli, salmonella, listeria," said a Selina Preyer-Blakney, an assistant professor of nutrition at Russell Sage College.

Curtiss also challenges the notion of lactose intolerance, suggesting that pasteurization, not lactose, is the issue.

"I've been told I'm lactose intolerant, but now I can drink it. And, you know, my response to that is, we're not lactose intolerant. We're pasteurization intolerant," he said.

Despite these claims, Preyer-Blakney remains skeptical.

"The thought process is that there is an enzyme that is produced from that healthy bacteria in raw milk that can then deactivate the lactose and make it easier for people to digest it. But again, the research does not show that to be true," she said.

She acknowledged some research indicating that children raised on farms, who may consume raw milk, have a lower prevalence of allergies and asthma. However, she emphasized, "The risk outweighs the benefits and the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend raw milk for children."

In addition to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the World Health Organization, the CDC, and the National Institutes of Health all advise against consuming raw milk.