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The American Academy of Pediatrics says raw milk has no proven health advantage over pasteurized milk that outweighs its higher risk of foodborne illness. Its policy statement highlights past outbreaks affecting children and warns that raw milk from cows infected with bird flu may contain infectious virus, though no human infections from drinking it had been identified when the statement was issued.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is warning families against raw, or unpasteurized, milk, saying it has no proven health advantage over pasteurized milk that makes up for its greater risk of foodborne illness. The policy statement, published in the journal Pediatrics, emphasizes the risks for children and pregnant people and notes that pasteurization also inactivates the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus found in milk from infected cows.
Raw milk can be contaminated by pathogens from an infected animal, contact with fecal matter or the surrounding environment, according to the AAP statement. Pasteurization heats milk under controlled conditions to kill disease-causing microorganisms; the statement says sanitation and filtration alone cannot provide the same protection. Risks include infections that can cause severe illness, particularly in young children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems.
Between 2013 and 2018, raw milk consumption was linked to 75 U.S. outbreaks, resulting in 675 reported illnesses, 98 hospitalizations and two deaths. The AAP statement says 48% of the illnesses were in people younger than 20, and 14% were in children under five. These figures describe outbreaks linked to raw milk during that period; they do not establish the risk to any individual consumer.
The statement also addresses claims that raw milk is more nutritious. It says pasteurization does not remove lactose or key minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, and that major milk proteins remain. Some heat-sensitive proteins and antioxidant activity can be reduced, and a review cited by the statement found that pasteurization decreased vitamin B2. The AAP says available evidence does not show a health benefit from raw milk that offsets its infection risks.
Risks for Children and Pregnancy
The warning is relevant because foodborne infection can have serious consequences for groups singled out by pediatricians. In children, diarrheal infections can lead to complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with E. coli O157, according to the policy statement. In pregnancy, listeriosis is reported to occur 12 to 14 times more often than in the general population and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe infection in a newborn.
The AAP’s position also bears on a common argument for choosing raw dairy: that it provides superior nutrition or helps with allergies. The statement says the principal milk-allergy proteins remain after pasteurization, and children with milk allergy should avoid animal milk and milk products rather than turn to raw versions. It also reports no evidence that raw milk relieves other atopic conditions. These are claims about the evidence reviewed by the academy, not a substitute for individualized medical guidance.
Bird flu adds a newer concern to longstanding food-safety risks. The AAP says infectious H5N1 virus has been detected in raw milk from infected cows and that pasteurization inactivates it. At the time of the policy statement, however, no human cases linked to drinking raw milk had been identified. That distinction matters: the warning reflects a potential exposure hazard, not a report of confirmed human infections through consumption.
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What the AAP Reviewed
Pasteurization became established in the United States in the 1920s. Before it was widely used, consumption of unpasteurized milk was associated with outbreaks of diseases including tuberculosis, typhoid fever, diphtheria, brucellosis and group A streptococcal infections. The AAP statement applies its recommendation to milk and dairy products from cows, goats and sheep, and supports consuming only pasteurized products, particularly for children and pregnant people.
Raw milk remains a choice for some consumers. Surveys from 2016 and 2019 found that 4.4% of U.S. adults reported consuming it in the previous 12 months; the source report says consumers were more likely to live in rural areas and be ages 18 to 35. Federal rules prohibit interstate sales of raw milk for human consumption, while state laws differ. The source material says sales were permitted in 27 states as of 2019, a dated figure rather than a count of current state laws.
“Raw milk offers no proven health advantages over pasteurized milk that outweigh its increased risk of foodborne illness.”
— American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement
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Limits of the Available Evidence
The source material does not provide a current count of raw-milk-related illnesses or a state-by-state update on sales rules. The outbreak figures cover 2013 through 2018, while the cited state-law count is from 2019. The frequency of illness linked to some pathogens detected in raw dairy is also uncertain, according to the AAP statement.
For bird flu, the statement describes infectious virus detected in raw milk from infected cows, but says no human cases linked to drinking raw milk had been identified when it was published. The material does not establish whether that status has changed since publication. It also does not give a new head-to-head clinical trial showing differences in health outcomes between consumers of raw and pasteurized milk; its conclusion is that no proven nutritional advantage outweighs the known foodborne risks.
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Following Safety Guidance Updates
The AAP’s policy statement urges consumption of pasteurized milk and dairy products, with particular emphasis on infants, children, adolescents, pregnant people and breastfeeding parents. The source material does not announce a new deadline, regulatory action or scheduled review. Readers seeking current information about local sales laws or food-safety advisories would need to consult relevant state and public-health authorities, as the figures in the report are dated.
Families weighing dairy choices can discuss nutrition, allergy concerns or other health questions with a qualified health professional. The AAP statement’s practical distinction is between the nutrients retained in pasteurized milk and the preventable exposure risk associated with consuming unpasteurized products.
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Key Questions
What is the AAP warning about raw milk?
The American Academy of Pediatrics says raw milk has no proven health advantage over pasteurized milk that outweighs its increased risk of foodborne illness.
Does pasteurization remove milk’s main nutrients?
According to the AAP statement, pasteurization preserves lactose, key minerals and major milk proteins. It can reduce some heat-sensitive proteins and antioxidant activity; a review cited by the statement found a decrease in vitamin B2.
Can raw milk transmit bird flu to people?
The statement says infectious H5N1 virus has been detected in raw milk from infected cows and that pasteurization inactivates it. It reported no human cases linked to drinking raw milk at the time it was published, so the source material does not establish that such transmission has occurred.
Who does the AAP identify as especially vulnerable?
The statement highlights young children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems as groups at greater risk of severe infection. It also recommends pasteurized products for children and pregnant people.
Source: rss
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