What are the risks associated with drinking raw milk?
Raw milk is milk from any animal that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can make you very sick or kill you. While it is possible to get foodborne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all.
Some people who chose raw milk thinking they would improve their health instead found themselves (or their loved ones) sick in a hospital for several weeks due to infections caused by germs in raw milk. Getting sick from raw milk can mean many days of diarrhea, stomach cramping, and vomiting. Some people who drank raw milk have developed severe or even life-threatening diseases, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause paralysis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in kidney failure, stroke, and even death.
Here are some things you should know:
- Illness can occur from the same brand and source of raw milk that people had been drinking for a long time without becoming ill.
- A wide variety of germs that are sometimes found in raw milk can make people sick. These germs include Brucella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.
- Each ill person’s symptoms can differ depending on the type of germ, the amount of contamination, and the person’s immune defenses.
Who is at greatest risk of getting sick from drinking raw milk?
The risk of getting sick from drinking contaminated raw milk is greater for infants and young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV, than it is for healthy older children and adults. But healthy people of any age can get very sick or even die if they drink raw milk contaminated with harmful germs.
Can drinking raw milk hurt me or my family?
Yes. Raw milk can cause serious illnesses. Raw milk and raw milk products, including soft cheese, ice cream, and yogurt, can be contaminated with harmful bacteria and other germs that can cause serious illness, hospitalization, or death. These harmful germs include
Brucella,
Campylobacter,
Cryptosporidium,
E. coli,
Listeria, and
Salmonella.
From 1993 through 2012, 127 outbreaks reported to CDC were linked to raw milk. These outbreaks included 1,909 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations. Most of the outbreaks were caused by
Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli, or
Salmonella. A large number of raw milk outbreaks involve children. At least one child younger than 5 was involved in 59% of the raw milk outbreaks reported to CDC from 2007 through 2012. Children aged 1 to 4 years accounted for 38% of
Salmonella illnesses in these outbreaks and 28% of illnesses caused by Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli, which can cause kidney failure and death.
Reported outbreaks represent the tip of the iceberg. Most illnesses are not a part of recognized outbreak, and for every outbreak and every illness reported, many others occur.
Pasteurization
Milk production and contamination
How does milk get contaminated?
Milk contamination may occur in these ways:
- Animal feces coming into direct contact with the milk
- Infection of the udder (mastitis)
- Cow diseases (for example, bovine tuberculosis)
- Bacteria that live on the skin of animals
- Environment (for example, feces, dirt, and processing equipment)
- Insects, rodents, and other animal vectors
- Unsanitary conditions in milk processing plant
- Cross-contamination from dairy workers, such as contact with dirty clothing or boots
Pasteurization is the only way to kill many of the bacteria in milk that can make people very sick.
Unproven health benefits of raw milk
Aren’t raw or natural foods better than processed foods?
Many people believe that foods with little to no processing are better for their health. Many people also believe that small, local farms are better sources of healthy food. However, some types of processing are needed to protect health. One type of processing happens when we cook raw meat, poultry, and fish to make them safe to eat. Similarly, when milk is pasteurized, it is made safe by heating it just long enough to kill disease-causing germs. Most nutrients remain in milk after it is pasteurized.
Is raw milk a good source of beneficial bacteria?
Raw milk contains bacteria, and some of them can be harmful. So, if you’re thinking about consuming raw milk because you believe it is a good source of beneficial bacteria, you need to know that you may instead get sick from the harmful bacteria. If you think that certain types of bacteria may be beneficial to your health, consider getting them from foods that don’t involve such a high risk. For example, pasteurized fermented foods, such as yogurt and kefir, contain bacteria that are safe to eat.
I know people who have been drinking raw milk for years, and they never got sick. Why is that?
The presence of germs in raw milk is unpredictable. People can drink it for a long time without getting sick, and then get sick if their milk is contaminated.
Raw milk laws and outbreaks linked to raw milk
Learn about outbreaks linked to raw milk where its sale is legal >
How many outbreaks are related to raw milk?
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From 1993 through 2012, 127 outbreaks reported to CDC were linked to raw milk. These outbreaks included 1,909 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations. Most of the outbreaks were caused by Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or Salmonella.
CDC collects data on foodborne disease outbreaks voluntarily reported by state, local, or territorial health departments.
Reported outbreaks represent the tip of the iceberg. Most illnesses are not a part of recognized outbreak, and for every outbreak and every illness reported, many others occur.
A large number of raw milk outbreaks involve children. At least one child younger than 5 was involved in 59% of the raw milk outbreaks reported to CDC from 2007 through 2012. Children aged 1 to 4 years accounted for 38% of Salmonella illnesses in these outbreaks and 28% of illnesses caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which can cause kidney failure and death.
Do more outbreaks related to raw milk occur in states where it is legal to sell?
Yes. States that allow the legal sale of raw milk for human consumption have more raw milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow raw milk to be sold legally.
More information:
How can I get more information about foodborne disease outbreaks linked to raw milk?