Is Raw Milk Safe? A Look at the Potential Risks of Unpasteurized Milk

In the U.S., most of the milk you drink is pasteurized. Pasteurization of cow’s milk was introduced over 100 years ago to decrease the infections passed from animals to humans. In 1900, about 10% of people in the U.S. infected with tuberculosis were believed to have caught it from infected cow’s milk. Pasteurization reduced the spread of tuberculosis and other diseases. 

But recently, the consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk has increased. Let’s take a closer look at the risks and benefits of consuming raw milk. 

What is raw milk?

Raw milk is milk that is bottled without undergoing pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats the milk to kill off any bacteria. So, raw milk is essentially milk directly from the cow that doesn’t undergo processing. It can be sold directly to consumers to drink. Raw milk is also sometimes used to make some soft cheeses and yogurts. 

Raw milk isn’t sold everywhere though. Sales are heavily restricted and even illegal in some states.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Lactose intolerance versus milk allergy: Does drinking milk give you symptoms? Learn the difference between these two conditions.

• Alternatives to milk: If you don’t drink cow’s milk, try one of these plant-based milks.

• A2 milk: Is it better for you than regular milk?

Is it safe to drink raw milk?

Raw milk can contain germs and bacteria that can come from:

• An animal’s udder

• The environment (like the soil)

• Machines used for milking and bottling 

Just like other forms of food poisoning, consuming raw milk that has harmful germs can make you sick. Symptoms can include:

• Flu-like symptoms 

• Mild fever 

• Body aches

• Nausea

• Stomach cramps

• Diarrhea 

Most healthy people recover from an illness contracted from raw milk after a few days. But some people can progress to more serious conditions that can result in things like kidney failure, paralysis, and in the worst cases, death. We’ll go through these conditions in a little more detail below.

The risk of getting sick from raw milk is highest in:

• Adults over 65 years old

• Children less than 5 years old

• People with weakened immune systems

• Pregnant women

Read more like this

Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.

How Long Does Stomach Flu Last, and How Can You Treat It?

What’s the Difference Between Food Poisoning and Stomach Flu?

Can COVID-19 Cause Diarrhea?

When to See a Doctor for Diarrhea

View more

Even though this risk is higher in certain people, the CDC and the FDA openly issue warnings about the risks of drinking raw milk for everyone. 

What are the infection risks of drinking raw milk?

There are a few bacteria that are more commonly associated with drinking raw milk. 

Campylobacter

Campylobacter is a bacteria that causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, and mild fever. People can get Campylobacter from raw chicken or poultry products. But they can also get sick after drinking raw milk from cows infected with Campylobacter. 

In rare cases, an infection with Campylobacter can progress into paralysis, known as Guillain-Barré syndrome. This is a rare autoimmune condition that causes nerve damage, usually starting in the legs.

Salmonella

Salmonella is bacteria that lives in the stools of many animals and is a relatively common source of foodborne illness in humans. You often hear about this from eating raw or undercooked chicken. But you can also get Salmonella from drinking raw milk. Just like with Campylobacter the symptoms of Salmonella include fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. 

Escherichia coli (E. coli) 

E. coli is a common bacteria in our environment. Some strains of E. coli bacteria that live in the stool of animals can make humans sick. This is because they produce a toxic substance that can cause bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. 

In about 5% to 10% of people, E.coli can lead to a serious disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome. This happens about 7 days after someone initially gets sick and causes their kidneys to stop working. Most people who develop this usually recover after a few weeks in the hospital. In rare cases the condition can be fatal. 

Avian Influenza (Bird flu) 

Avian influenza, known as bird flu, is a strain of the flu that can be fatal in birds. It can also be passed to farm animals. Bird flu has been detected in cows, but there hasn’t been any known contamination of bird flu in milk. 

The FDA continuously monitors milk production, both raw and pasteurized. And scientists believe that the normal pasteurization process kills off the bird flu virus, leaving minimal threat to humans. 

Are there benefits to drinking unpasteurized milk?

Health food experts may claim that drinking raw milk is more beneficial because:

• Unprocessed foods are healthier than processed foods.

• There’s more nutrition in raw milk than pasteurized milk.

• Raw milk contains more probiotics than pasteurized milk.

• Raw milk is easier to tolerate for people who are lactose intolerant.

But there are no proven benefits to drinking raw milk over pasteurized milk. And pasteurized milk still contains plenty of nutrition. In fact, the nutritional content of raw milk and pasteurized milk is practically the same. It’s unlikely that any potential benefit from good bacteria outweighs the potential risk from harmful bacteria. The best source of probiotics is from cultured dairy products, like yogurt, made from pasteurized milk.

It’s also important to note that raw milk isn’t the same as organic or grass-fed milk. These types of milk are still usually pasteurized. Raw milk doesn’t necessarily come from organic cows and farms. Even if raw milk is organic, it can still contain harmful bacteria. 

The tricky thing is that not every cup of raw milk has harmful bacteria. You may hear people say they consume raw milk without ever getting sick. While this may be true, there’s no way to ensure that the next cup of raw milk you consume won’t have a bacteria that can make you sick. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Nicole Andonian, MD

Nicole Andonian, MD, is a private practice anesthesiologist in Orange County, California. Her focus is in general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and acute pain management.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts