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The American Academy of Pediatrics says raw milk has no proven health advantage over pasteurized milk that outweighs its increased risk of foodborne illness. Its warning is especially directed at children, pregnant people and others at higher risk of severe infection. The statement also says pasteurization inactivates H5N1 virus in milk.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is warning families against raw, unpasteurized milk, saying it offers no proven health advantages over pasteurized milk that outweigh its greater risk of foodborne illness. The policy statement, published in the journal Pediatrics, emphasizes the risks for children and pregnant people, among other groups more vulnerable to severe infection.
The AAP’s statement cites U.S. data linking raw milk consumption to 75 outbreaks between 2013 and 2018, with 675 reported illnesses, 98 hospitalizations and two deaths. People younger than 20 accounted for 48% of the illnesses; 14% were in children younger than 5. Those figures describe reported outbreaks during that period, rather than the total number of infections from all sources.
Raw milk can become contaminated through infection in the animal’s udder, contact with fecal matter or environmental exposure. Pasteurization heats milk under controlled conditions to kill disease-causing microorganisms, a safeguard the AAP says sanitation or filtration alone cannot provide. The statement covers milk and dairy products from cows, goats and sheep.
The policy also addresses avian influenza. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) has been detected at infectious levels in raw milk from infected cows, according to the report. The AAP says pasteurization effectively inactivates the virus. No human cases linked to drinking raw milk had been identified at the time the policy statement was prepared.
Risks Are Highest for Children and Pregnancy
The warning matters because foodborne infections can have more serious consequences for young children, pregnant people, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The AAP describes possible severe complications in children from diarrheal illness, including hemolytic uremic syndrome linked to certain E. coli infections.
Pregnancy carries specific risks from listeriosis. The policy statement says the infection occurs about 12 to 14 times more often during pregnancy than in the general population and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or serious illness in a newborn. These are potential outcomes, not claims that every exposure will cause illness.
The debate also involves claims that raw milk is more nutritious or can help with allergies. The AAP says available evidence does not establish a health benefit that offsets the infection risk. Its position gives families and clinicians a clear pediatric recommendation amid differing state rules on raw-milk sales.
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Pasteurization and the Nutrition Claims
Pasteurization became established in the United States in the 1920s, after unpasteurized milk had been associated with outbreaks of diseases including tuberculosis, typhoid fever and diphtheria. Most milk and milk products consumed in the country today are pasteurized, although raw-milk consumption persists. Surveys from 2016 and 2019 found that 4.4% of U.S. adults reported consuming raw milk in the previous 12 months.
The AAP reviewed nutrient comparisons in its statement. It says pasteurization does not change milk’s lactose content or its levels of calcium, magnesium and zinc, and that the major milk proteins associated with allergy remain present. Some heat-sensitive proteins and antioxidant activity can be reduced, and one review found a decrease in vitamin B2. The statement says these changes do not establish a health advantage for raw milk.
Federal rules prohibit interstate sales of raw milk for human consumption, while state laws differ. The source report says sales were permitted in 27 states as of 2019; that figure is a dated snapshot and does not establish the current law in any particular state.
“Raw milk offers no proven health advantages over pasteurized milk that outweigh its increased risk of foodborne illness.”
— American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement
Questions About Exposure and H5N1
The policy statement does not quantify an individual consumer’s chance of becoming ill after a particular serving of raw milk. It reports outbreaks and documented risks, while noting that the frequency of illness linked to some detected pathogens remains uncertain. The outbreak totals cited cover 2013 to 2018 and should not be read as a current annual count.
For H5N1, the AAP reported infectious virus in raw milk from infected cows but no identified human cases tied to raw-milk consumption at the time of publication. That statement describes what had been identified by then; it does not show that risk is impossible or establish what later surveillance may find. Current state rules and product-specific details also require checking beyond the 2019 sales snapshot cited in the report.
How Families Can Apply the Guidance
The AAP’s policy statement sets out its recommendation for pasteurized milk and dairy products, with particular emphasis on infants, children and adolescents, pregnant people, and breastfeeding parents. Families with questions about a child’s diet or a specific health condition can discuss them with a qualified health professional.
The statement does not announce a new federal ban. Raw-milk availability remains subject to differing state laws, and the material supplied does not specify a later regulatory action or surveillance milestone. Public-health monitoring of foodborne illness and avian influenza in dairy cattle will help clarify whether the reported risks or evidence change.
Key Questions
What did the American Academy of Pediatrics say about raw milk?
The AAP said raw milk has no proven health advantage over pasteurized milk that outweighs its increased risk of foodborne illness. It recommends pasteurized products, especially for children and other higher-risk groups.
How many illnesses were linked to raw milk in the cited U.S. data?
From 2013 through 2018, raw milk consumption was linked to 75 reported outbreaks, 675 illnesses, 98 hospitalizations and two deaths in the United States.
Does pasteurization remove milk’s nutrients?
The AAP statement says pasteurization leaves lactose and minerals including calcium, magnesium and zinc unchanged. It can reduce some heat-sensitive components, but the statement says evidence does not show that raw milk provides a health benefit that offsets its infection risks.
Has anyone been reported to catch H5N1 from drinking raw milk?
The policy statement said no human cases linked to raw-milk consumption had been identified when it was prepared. It also reported that infectious H5N1 had been detected in raw milk from infected cows and that pasteurization inactivates the virus.
Is raw milk legal to buy?
Rules vary by state. The source report cited a 2019 snapshot in which sales were permitted in 27 states; that older figure does not confirm current rules. Check current state requirements for the relevant product and location.
Source: rss
