Health
Raw Milk Risks for Adults 40+
Health Points
More than 20 people, including children, fell ill after drinking raw milk from a Florida farm; several required hospitalization.
Raw milk has trended on social platforms despite lacking scientific backing for added benefits.
- Can carry harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter.
- Pasteurization kills pathogens while preserving nutrition.
- Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe infection.
Between 1998 and 2018, U.S. outbreaks tied to raw milk led to more than 2,600 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations.
There is no credible evidence that pasteurization reduces milk’s nutritional value.
“advances human health.”
“With social media, these fads can be extremely dangerous, when there is no real evidence that raw milk is better for you than pasteurized,” says Anthony Ognjan, DO.
“It doesn’t matter how healthy the animal is or how hygienic the farm that the milk comes from is — all raw milk poses a risk of carrying harmful bacteria,” says Amy Edwards, MD.
Choose pasteurized dairy to lower infection risk and consult your clinician with any health concerns.
