The Short Guide to Raw Milk

Milk from cows, goats, sheep or other animals that has not been pasteurized, a heat treatment that kills harmful germs.

Key takeaways

• What pasteurization does: heats milk to kill harmful germs without significantly changing its nutritional value
• Interstate sale for drinking: banned by federal law; state laws on in-state sale vary
• Most useful single change: Look for the word "pasteurized" on milk, cheese and other dairy labels.
• Commonest mistake: Raw milk, cheese or yogurt during pregnancy or for babies and young children.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.

The numbers, in one place

In one paragraph

Raw milk and products made from it can carry Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Brucella, and bird flu virus has been found in raw milk from infected dairy cows.

Worth doing

• Look for the word "pasteurized" on milk, cheese and other dairy labels
• Choose pasteurized milk and cheese for children and during pregnancy
• Refrigerate milk at 40°F (4°C) or below and use it by the date on the label
• Ask about pasteurization when buying dairy at farmers markets or farm stands

Worth avoiding

• Raw milk, cheese or yogurt during pregnancy or for babies and young children
• Assuming milk from a clean, local or organic farm is free of germs
• Feeding raw milk to pets, which can also become ill

Related topics

• The Evidence on West Nile Virus and Mosquitoes, Without the Hype (Infectious Diseases)
• Gut Health and Immunity: What the Evidence Actually Says (Immunity)
• The Evidence on Vegetarian and Vegan Diets, Without the Hype (Healthy Recipes)
• Food Allergy: What the Evidence Actually Says (Allergies)

Where to go next

• Raw Milk: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
• Making Sense of Raw Milk
• Raw Milk — the reference entry
• Food Safety: The Complete Guide
• Eggs and Salmonella: What Published Guidance Supports
• Listeria in Pregnancy: What Published Guidance Supports

When to speak to a doctor

See your doctor if you develop vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches or red, irritated eyes after drinking raw milk, and tell them what you drank. Call 911 for bloody diarrhea with little or no urine, a stiff neck with fever, confusion or a seizure.

Where this comes from

• FDA — The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk
• CDC — Raw Milk

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.