Raw Milk: Risks, Recent Events, and Consumers' Choices

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is a heating process that kills germs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can make people sick.

Some state lawmakers are considering bills to let people buy raw milk more easily. MAHA supporters say adults should choose what to drink. Health agencies tracked outbreaks from Salmonella and E. coli and some recalls of raw milk products in recent years. People who are young, older, pregnant, or have weak immune systems have higher risk from raw milk.