#19,391
With reports of H5N1 infected dairy herds increasing again (see Washington State: H5N1 Detections in Cattle Triple (n=27) - 2nd County (Benton) Affected), we are seeing an uptick in warnings from health departments about the dangers of consuming raw milk.
The King County, WA Dept. of Public Health unambiguously warns:
Raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk products
Consuming raw milk and raw milk products can pose health risks.
Raw milk and A(H5N1) virus
The CDC recommends against consuming raw milk contaminated with live A(H5N1) virus as a way to develop antibodies against A(H5N1) virus to protect against future disease. Consuming raw milk could make you sick.
Why is raw milk unsafe?
- Raw milk is milk from animals, typically cows and goats, which has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is a process of heating raw milk to kill germs from the animal that are present in the raw milk.
- Some people believe that raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk; however, the major nutrients in milk are not affected by pasteurization.
- Raw milk and raw milk products, such as cream, cheese and yogurt can be contaminated with harmful bacteria and cause serious infections.
- People with weakened immune systems, young children, the elderly, and pregnant women are at increased risk for severe infections from raw milk and milk products. It is especially important that young children, elderly persons, and persons with weakened immune systems consume only pasteurized milk and milk products.
- Read the label! In Washington state, it is legal to sell raw milk but raw milk products must be clearly labeled.
In the fall of 2024, we saw similar warnings after a number of household pets were infected with H5N1, some presumably from exposure to raw milk and/or raw pet food (see LA County Issues Another Raw Milk Warning).
Despite ample evidence of its dangers, most states allow its sale from farms or co-ops, and some states - like Washington - allow it to be sold in grocery stores alongside pasteurized milk.
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that:
Results show that 4.4% of U.S. adults reported consuming raw milk at least once in the past year, with 1.6% reporting frequent consumption of raw milk (once per month or more often) and 1.0% reporting consumption once per week or more often.
Today we have a new preprint - published Oct 28th - which suggests Americans' consumption of raw milk may be even higher than previously reported.
It is based on a survey of 1,075 eligible US adults through an online panel in February of 2025, and it reports roughly 15% of US adults consumed raw milk in the preceding six months.
While it is possible that pro-raw-milk enthusiasts were more likely to respond to this survey, recruitment was done through Qualtrics Research Services - using demographic quotas - not an openly advertised public poll.
I've posted the abstract below, but those wishing a deeper dive will want to follow the link to read the preprint in its entirety.
Why Americans Choose Raw Milk: Evidence from a National Quantitative Survey
Sophia Ruser, Cristina Rojo, Katherine J Koebel, Calvin Slaughter, Ece Bulut, Renata Ivanek
doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.26.26366487
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review
Preview PDFAbstract
Raw milk consumption is a controllable source of foodborne pathogen exposure in the United States (US), yet existing national estimates of raw milk consumption behaviors are outdated and do not capture emerging factors such as consumers' trusted information sources, sociopolitical influences, and at-home risk mitigation behaviors.
We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of n=1078 US adults to estimate the prevalence of raw milk consumption and at-home thermal treatment practices and identify predictors of these behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate predictors of raw milk consumption and thermal treatment behavior using adjusted odds ratios (aORs).
Among 1,075 eligible respondents, 15% consumed raw milk in the last six months, including 5% exclusively and 10% in addition to pasteurized milk.
In multivariable analysis, raw milk consumption was independently associated with younger age, cohabitation with high-risk individuals for foodborne infections (including children less than or equal to five years of age, and elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised individuals) who had consumed raw milk, and perceptions of raw milk taste and safety.
Adults aged greater than or equal to 55 years had lower odds of consumption than those aged 18-24 years (aOR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.15), while those living with a high-risk household member who consumed raw milk had higher odds of consumption (aOR, 4.39; 95% CI, 2.69-7.22). Perceiving raw milk to have higher risk of causing illness was associated with lower odds of raw milk consumption (aOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.62) compared to believing the risk to be equal across milk types, and thermal treatment was reported by 38% of exclusive raw milk consumers (n=58) and 47% of consumers of both milk types (n=106).
Raw milk consumption in the US appears to be substantially more common than previously reported and shaped by factors such as taste, safety, and household raw milk consumption among high-risk individuals for foodborne infections. The proportion of raw milk consumers already practicing at-home thermal treatment suggests a potential opportunity for risk mitigation.
While all of this is self-reported and unverified information, it appears that among the respondents to this poll that high-risk groups (young children, elderly persons, and persons with weakened immune systems) are often cited as household consumers of raw milk.
- 10.0% reported a child aged five or younger who had consumed it.
- 9.1% reported an adult aged 65 or older.
- 3.2% reported an immunocompromised person.
- 2.1% reported a pregnant person.
Since we've seen multiple instances where H5N1 contaminated raw milk has reached store shelves (see California: CDFA Announces Another Recall of H5 Contaminated Raw Milk), the risks - while low - are genuine.
But whether any of this will dissuade those currently inclined to consume raw milk - after decades of near universal public health advice to the contrary - remains to be seen.
