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It feels like every few months, another milk is poised to be the main character and now unpasteurized raw milk is getting its turn.
But is raw milk safe to drink even? The FDA and food safety experts caution against consuming unpasteurized dairy but that doesn’t stop A-list celebs, like Gwyneth Paltrow from adding raw cream to her coffee every morning.
She lives in California, where the sale of raw milk is legal, provided it has a warning label. (FYI: Her purveyor for raw milk has been linked to at least 165 salmonella cases, the largest outbreak in the U.S. in over a decade.)
Trad wife influencers, like Hannah Neeleman (@ballerinafarm), portray this controversial dairy product as a wholesome, homesteader choice, while others on social media rave about the supposed health benefits of this unprocessed milk like it’s the next bone broth. And talk about politics making strange bedfellows: Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “I only drink raw milk,” in a video clip that made rounds on Twitter/X. Pesky government food regulations be damned!
Neeleman gets raw milk straight from her own Ballerina Farm cows.
City folks, who don’t live in sanctioned states, are securing their supply in more suss ways. In New York State, for example, it’s illegal to sell raw milk beyond the farm premises. (In 1987, the FDA prohibited the sale of the stuff across state lines.)
One source (who asked to remain anonymous for this story), says she buys contraband raw milk in Brooklyn. He pulls up in an unmarked insulated van in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the borough, where a throng of thirsty people wait for him. After cash changes hands, he dispenses raw milk so thick, you could scoop it from the plastic deli containers its packed in. This guy is basically running a mobile raw milk speakeasy.
Some fanatics are even bringing raw milk to coffee shops to add to their cup of joe, the way people used to do with oat milk and almond milk. To understand the buzz around unpasteurized milk, let’s first find out what we mean by “raw.”
Meet the Experts: Darin Detwiler, LPD, is an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions. Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition is a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World and Co-Host of Slate’s Well, Now Podcast.
What is raw milk?
Raw milk is unpasteurized milk. It comes straight from the animal, usually cows, sheep, or goats—and less commonly, from camels or donkeys. The milk is “raw” in that it hasn’t been pasteurized (heated to kill the germs) like the milk you find at the grocery store, which is required to go through the pasteurization process, per FDA regulations.
Why is this distinction important? “Pasteurized milk removes harmful germs and bacteria through a process where the milk is heated to a specific temperature,” according to Maya Feller, R.D., the founder and lead dietitian at Maya Feller Nutrition. “This reduces the risk of foodborne illness.”
What is pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a way of extending the shelf life of food by using heat to kill the harmful bacteria. We owe a big merci to the French scientist Louis Pasteur, who made this eponymous discovery in 1864. Thanks to his invention, we can enjoy foods like dairy, packaged juice, deli meats, wine, beer, and kombucha without them spoiling right away.
The most common method of pasteurization in the United States today is High Temperature Short Time (HTST) pasteurization, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. This process uses metal plates and hot water to raise the temperature of milk to at least 161° F for not less than 15 seconds, followed by rapid cooling.
Before pasteurizations were widely used, people were getting seriously ill with diseases linked to harmful bacteria found in milk (think: typhoid fever, scarlet fever, tuberculosis). Today, for every 2 billion servings of pasteurized milk or milk products consumed in the United States, only about one person gets sick, according to an FDA evaluation.
What are the dangers of raw milk?
Television and the movies—and increasingly social media—often portray milk straight from the cow as this wholesome, pure drink but food hygiene reality paints a more sordid picture.
“Raw milk and its products pose a tangible risk to consumer health,” says Dr. Darin Detwiler, LPD, an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions. “That’s why many health organizations and food safety experts advocate for pasteurization as a crucial step in ensuring safe consumption.”
But how big of a risk is it? Are we talking about a little tummy ache—or something more serious? Detwiler says, unequivocally, the risks are significant.
“Raw milk can contain dangerous microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which can cause severe foodborne illnesses.” If you consume contaminated raw milk, the effects can be far worse than an upset stomach. “They can include severe gastrointestinal distress, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, and even life-threatening conditions such as sepsis,” Detwiler warns. “In some cases, these illnesses can result in long-term health complications, such as kidney damage or neurological disorders, and can even be fatal, particularly for vulnerable populations.”
Detwiler shares an account of a particularly tragic case: “I know of a family whose daughter, years ago, became sick from a pathogen in raw milk when she was a toddler.” The girl was hospitalized for a long time and did survive, however, he says, “she now will never walk, talk, or experience the same quality of life that she would have had she not become sick from unpasteurized milk.”
The Bird flu and raw milk connection
You may have read about the bird flu virus infecting dairy cows. While you can still safely consume pasteurized milk and dairy products from those animals, it’s a different scenario for raw milk.
“While bird flu (avian influenza) is primarily associated with poultry, the potential for cross-contamination in dairy operations, especially those that do not follow strict biosecurity measures, cannot be overlooked,” warns Detwiler.
He adds that the bird flu viruses can survive in various environments and might contaminate water, feed, or equipment used in dairy farms. “Although the direct risk of bird flu through raw milk is lower compared to other bacterial pathogens, it’s crucial to maintain rigorous hygiene practices in all aspects of food production to prevent the spread of any infectious agents, including bird flu.”
Feller agrees. “Currently the CDC specifically advises against raw milk consumption as there are increased risk with the Bird Flu A(H5N1) that can spread and has caused outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows.”
What are some raw milk benefits?
The risks associated with unpasteurized milk sound horrific so you’re probably wondering, “Why do people drink raw milk?” Some advocates say that pasteurization ruins the flavor of milk and that the raw version tastes richer, sweeter, and creamier. It’s not dissimilar to tasting juice squeezed fresh from fruit vs. the stuff out of a carton at the supermarket.
Among some raw milk obsessives, there’s a belief that this unprocessed form of milk is more nutritious, easier to digest, and good for gut health. Many of them believe it’s better for you than pasteurized milk, particularly in helping to prevent allergies and ailments such as asthma and eczema. But is there any truth behind raw milk’s health halo?
“There is some research looking at the nutritional quality of raw milk,” says Feller. “Preclinical animal studies have found that mice who were sensitized to raw milk have fewer allergic symptoms in comparison to mice that were sensitized to pasteurized milk.” She cautions that further research, specifically human studies, are needed to substantiate the claims that raw milk helps with allergies and is easier to digest for people who are lactose intolerant. “Pasteurization is important for people who are immune-compromised, and the process is known to reduce the risk of foodborne illness significantly for the general population.”
What are some other myths about raw milk?
A quick search of “raw mik” on TikTok revealed the following myths:
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“Pasteurization strips away the natural healing capacity of milk, compromising its digestibility, which makes it less nutritious.”
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“Raw milk contains enzymes and glycoproteins that protect against pathogenic bacteria.”
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“Looking to build more lean muscle and hit daily macros? Consider adding raw milk to your diet.”
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“Raw milk turns into buttermilk and it never goes bad.”
However, none of the videos provided evidence to support these claims.
To fight some of the raw milk misinformation on social media, one TikTok creator Microbiology Wes, MSc (@microbiologywes) is debunking these myths head on. Wes, who says he wrote his masters thesis on bacterial infections in the mammary glands of cows, counters false notions in hilarious TikTok stitches, like a Food Safety Avenger. He spouts stats, such as the following:
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“Drinking raw milk puts you at 640 times higher risk of getting sick than drinking pasteurized milk.”
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“Only about 3 percent of the population drinks raw milk but they account for 96% of all illnesses linked to dairy products.”
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“You have a 45 times higher chance of being hospitalized from that illness”
Pretty ironic for a beverage that purports to be “healthy,” right?
Does pasteurized milk have the same nutritional benefits as raw milk?
Raw milk and pasteurized milk have similar nutritional values,” says Feller. “Some water-soluble vitamins, B1, B2, B12, vitamin C, and folate, decrease during pasteurization; however, these vitamins were not present in significant amounts prior to pasteurization.”
How much raw milk must be consumed to be a real risk?
Like, if you’re curious about how it tastes, can you just have a thimbleful of raw milk and be OK?
“The amount of raw milk (or of any contaminated food) required to pose a health risk is not easily quantifiable,” Detwiler says, “because even a small amount can contain enough pathogens to cause illness, depending on the contamination level and the individual’s susceptibility.”
He adds that even a thimbleful of raw milk can still expose you to harmful bacteria, and there is no safe threshold that guarantees you won’t get sick. “Pathogens do not need to be present in large quantities to cause severe illness.” His advice? “Consuming any amount of raw milk is considered risky and not recommended by food safety experts.”
What are some symptoms of sickness from drinking raw milk?
The list of symptoms is not pretty.
“Most commonly, bacteria in raw milk can cause vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain, fever, headache and body aches,” according to the New York State Department of Health. “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.”
Is it just the elderly and children who are at risk?
You might be tempted to think an otherwise healthy adult can safely drink raw milk. Detwiler halts that train of thought.
“While children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness from consuming raw milk, even healthy adults are not immune to the dangers.”
He says that healthy individuals can still contract serious infections, which can lead to severe symptoms and long-term health consequences. “Foodborne pathogens do not discriminate, and raw milk can cause illness in anyone, regardless of their age or health status.”
What if I bought the raw milk from a very good dairy farm that I trust?
“Buying raw milk from a reputable farm with good hygiene practices may reduce the risk of contamination, but it does not eliminate it,” Detwiler says. “Even well-managed farms can have bacteria present in the environment, equipment, or from the cows themselves.”
He says that pathogens can be introduced during milking, handling, or storage, and the absence of pasteurization means there’s no kill step to eliminate them. “Trust in the farm’s reputation does not equate to a guarantee of safety when it comes to raw milk.”
What if I heated the raw milk for a latte, would it be safe to drink?
Detwiler bursts that bubble with some sharp scientific facts: “Heating raw milk to a temperature that is sufficient to froth it for a latte does not necessarily kill all the harmful bacteria.”
He reminds us that pasteurization involves heating milk to a specific temperature (at least 161°F) for a set amount of time (15 seconds) to effectively kill pathogens. “Simply warming milk at home typically does not meet these conditions and may not eliminate all the dangerous microorganisms.”
What about dairy products made from raw milk (e.g., yogurt, butter, or cheese)—are these safe to consume?
“They can still pose risks unless they have been aged or treated to kill bacteria,” says Detwiler. “While some cheeses made from raw milk undergo processes that reduce bacterial risks, it is generally recommended to avoid consuming any raw milk products to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.”
Feller gives her final word on raw milk: “I do not recommend that my patients consume raw milk,” she says emphatically. That goes for raw milk sold directly on farm premises as well as out of a sketchy van.
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