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The American Academy of Pediatrics says unpasteurized milk has no proven health advantage that outweighs its higher risk of foodborne illness. Its policy statement urges particular caution for children and pregnant people, citing U.S. outbreak data and the possibility of contamination, including with bird flu virus in milk from infected cows.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is warning families against raw milk, saying unpasteurized dairy has no proven health advantage that outweighs its increased risk of foodborne illness. In a policy statement published in the journal Pediatrics, the organization particularly urges caution for children and pregnant people, who can face serious complications from infections.
The AAP’s statement cites U.S. data linking raw milk consumption to 75 outbreaks from 2013 through 2018. Those outbreaks resulted in 675 illnesses, 98 hospitalizations and two deaths, according to the report. Forty-eight percent of the illnesses were in people younger than 20, including 14% in children under five.
Raw milk can be contaminated by bacteria, parasites or viruses, including through animal illness, contact with fecal matter or environmental exposure. The AAP says pasteurization heats milk under controlled conditions to eliminate disease-causing microorganisms, protection that sanitation or filtration alone cannot provide. The statement recommends pasteurized milk and dairy products, including those made from cows, goats and sheep.
The report also addresses claims that raw milk is more nutritious. It says pasteurization does not meaningfully change many nutrients, including lactose, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and most milk proteins remain. Some heat-sensitive proteins and antioxidant activity can be reduced, and a review found that pasteurization decreased vitamin B2. The AAP’s conclusion is that these differences do not establish a health benefit sufficient to offset the infection risk.
Why Children Face Greater Risks
The warning matters because the consequences of foodborne infection can be more severe for young children, pregnant people, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The AAP notes that diarrheal illness from certain strains of E. coli can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication in children. During pregnancy, listeriosis occurs about 12 to 14 times more often than in the general population and can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe illness in a newborn, the statement says.
The advice also addresses a practical decision for families: whether perceived nutritional benefits justify choosing unpasteurized dairy. The AAP says the evidence does not support that trade-off. Its recommendation applies not only to milk but also to products made from it, while children with milk allergy should avoid animal milk and dairy products rather than use raw milk as an alternative.
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Outbreak History and Bird Flu
Pasteurization became established in the United States in the 1920s, after unpasteurized milk was associated with outbreaks of diseases including tuberculosis, typhoid fever and diphtheria. Most milk and milk products consumed in the country today are pasteurized. Surveys in 2016 and 2019 found that 4.4% of U.S. adults had consumed raw milk in the preceding 12 months; the report said consumers were more likely to be rural residents and adults ages 18 to 35.
The AAP statement also discusses highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in dairy cattle. Infectious virus has been detected in raw milk from infected cows, and the statement says pasteurization effectively inactivates it. At the time the policy statement was prepared, it reported no human cases identified as linked to raw milk consumption. That distinction is important: detection in milk is a hazard concern, not evidence that raw-milk consumption had caused a human case.
Federal rules prohibit interstate sales of raw milk for human consumption, while state laws differ. The report said raw-milk sales were permitted in 27 states as of 2019. That figure is a dated description of state policy, not a current count.
“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 statement says the frequency of illness associated with some pathogens found in raw dairy remains uncertain, and outbreaks could become more frequent if consumption rises. It reports that no human cases linked to raw milk consumption had been identified in connection with H5N1 at the time of publication; that finding does not establish what future risk may be as the virus situation develops.
The source also does not provide an updated tally of state raw-milk laws beyond its 2019 figure. Nor does the summary quantify the likelihood that an individual serving of raw milk will be contaminated. The documented outbreak figures describe cases linked to outbreaks during a specified period, not the risk from every purchase or serving.
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What Families Should Watch
The AAP’s policy statement calls for consuming pasteurized milk and dairy products, especially for children, pregnant people and other groups at higher risk of severe illness. Families considering dairy products can check product labels for pasteurization information and consult local food-safety guidance; medical questions about pregnancy, a child’s diet or milk allergy should be discussed with a qualified health professional.
Further developments to watch include updates to public-health guidance on raw dairy and avian influenza, as well as any new human cases linked to exposure. The policy statement itself does not announce a new regulation or give a timetable for changes to state sales laws.
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Key Questions
What is the AAP’s main 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 key nutrients?
The AAP statement says pasteurization leaves many important nutrients, including lactose, calcium, magnesium and zinc, intact. It can reduce some heat-sensitive proteins and vitamin B2, but the statement does not find that raw milk’s differences provide an offsetting health advantage.
Why does the warning focus on children and pregnancy?
Young children and pregnant people can face severe consequences from certain foodborne infections. The AAP cites risks including serious complications from some diarrheal illnesses in children and pregnancy-related complications from listeriosis.
Has raw milk been linked to human bird flu cases?
The policy statement reported that infectious H5N1 had been found in raw milk from infected cows, but no human cases linked to raw milk consumption had been identified at the time of the statement. It says pasteurization inactivates the virus.
Does the recommendation apply to goat and sheep dairy?
Yes. The AAP’s recommendation covers milk and products made from cows, goats and sheep, not just cow’s milk.
Source: rss
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