The American Academy of Pediatrics has reiterated its warning against unpasteurised milk, highlighting new risks from avian influenza and the lack of health benefits, urging stricter regulations and public awareness.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has renewed its warning that unpasteurised milk, cheese and other raw dairy products should not be given to children or consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding people, saying the risks outweigh any claimed benefits. In updated guidance published in Pediatrics, the academy said raw dairy can carry life-threatening bacteria and that there is no good scientific evidence to support claims that it is healthier than pasteurised milk.
The policy statement, written by the academy’s Committee on Infectious Diseases and Committee on Nutrition, also points to a newer concern: highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1. Research cited by the academy suggests the virus can enter milk from infected dairy cattle, remain detectable in refrigerated raw milk for weeks and, in some studies, survive in other unpasteurised dairy products as well. The National Institutes of Health has separately reported that heat treatment sharply reduces the virus, reinforcing the role of pasteurisation as a basic food-safety safeguard.
Adam J. Ratner, the lead author, said nearly half of illnesses linked to raw dairy occur in people under 20, with a substantial share in children younger than 5. He said these infections can become severe and cause life-threatening complications. Mark R. Corkins, another co-author, said parents may be drawn to raw milk because they hear it is more natural or nutritious, but the evidence does not bear that out. Pasteurised dairy, he said, offers the same essential nutrients without exposing families to preventable infections.
The warning is not limited to H5N1. The AAP says raw milk has long been associated with pathogens including Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Brucella, which can cause hospitalisation, miscarriage, premature delivery and death. That danger is especially serious in pregnancy, when the risk of listeriosis is much higher than in the general population. The academy also notes that raw milk sales remain legal in at least 27 states, despite repeated public-health concerns and previous AAP guidance on the issue.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
