Paediatricians back US-wide raw milk ban after outbreaks hospitalise children

The American Academy of Paediatrics says unpasteurised dairy poses an avoidable risk to young children and pregnant women, as CDC-linked outbreaks fuel calls for a nationwide sales ban.

The American Academy of Paediatrics has backed a nationwide ban on the sale and distribution of unpasteurised milk and dairy products, saying the risks are especially serious for young children and pregnant women. The recommendation lands as raw milk gains popularity among consumers who see it as a more natural option, even as public health officials continue to warn that the product can carry dangerous bacteria. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, a recent outbreak tied to raw milk cheese led to at least a dozen hospitalisations, with many of the patients being young children.

Dr Ebonay Hunter, an emergency physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, said children under five face the greatest danger when exposed to harmful bacteria in raw dairy. She said infections can escalate into haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a severe complication that can cause kidney failure. Hunter also argued that pasteurisation removes the threat without stripping milk of its nutritional value. “Kill E. coli and salmonella, shigella, campylobacter, things that live in the soil that the cows exist with, and make it safer for people to drink,” she said. “And that has been working for us.”

At Irish Acres in Brooksville, farmer Mark Counihan said he takes extensive precautions in handling the milk his family sells, including cleaning the cows, removing debris from their udders, washing them with soapy water and drying them before milking. Counihan, who said his family has farmed for generations, described raw milk as a fresh product collected daily from Jersey cows and said customers are increasingly drawn to what they view as natural foods. He said he believes the milk is rich in nutrients and enzymes, though he stressed that he does not advise customers on whether they should drink it. In Florida, he said, raw milk is sold under a label for animal consumption rather than human consumption.

Still, the CDC has repeatedly linked raw dairy to serious outbreaks. In September, the agency said 13 people in nine states fell ill in a multistate E. coli outbreak tied to raw milk cheese, with more than half of the patients aged five and under. Earlier this year, the CDC also investigated a separate outbreak linked to raw cheddar cheese that sickened people in several states and resulted in hospitalisations, including a case of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The agency has consistently advised consumers to avoid raw dairy products because even careful handling cannot guarantee that harmful bacteria are absent.

For doctors, the issue is straightforward: prevent illnesses that are largely avoidable. For raw milk producers, it remains a question of consumer choice and trust in small-scale farming. Counihan said smaller operators have every reason to avoid shortcuts and to cool the milk quickly after collection. “The way I see it,” he said. “You live in America.”