Text reads "Ask a Doctor" over a picture of a child drinking milk.

Is Raw Milk Safe for Children to Drink?

Published July 10, 2026

Raw milk has surged in popularity among some consumers – including families with children – who view it as a more natural alternative to processed foods, despite warnings from major medical organizations about its health risks.
Pediatric health experts say pasteurization does not reduce milk’s nutritional value and provides the same protein, calcium and other key nutrients while significantly reducing the risk of infection that can lead to severe illness in children.

MADERA, Calif. – As raw milk’s popularity continues to grow across the United States, pediatricians are pushing back against claims that it offers health benefits, warning that it can expose children to dangerous bacteria.

“As physicians, we strongly recommend against raw milk,” said Dr. Bibi Patel, a pediatric resident at Valley Children’s. “Raw milk doesn’t have any added benefits. And with raw milk, there’s that extra risk of harmful bacteria that can affect your child.”

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, goats or other animals that has not gone through the pasteurization process, which heats milk to a specific temperature to kill potentially harmful germs. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), raw milk can also be found in products such as cheese, yogurt, ice cream and other dairy foods made without pasteurization.

Health experts warn that raw milk can harbor harmful bacteria, including Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, tuberculosis and Brucella. These germs can cause serious illness in anyone, but young children are among the most vulnerable.

“Before pasteurization was invented, raw milk used to be a common source of food-borne illnesses in children,” Dr. Patel said.

According to the AAP, children younger than 5 years old, people with weakened immune systems and older adults face a higher risk of severe complications from infections linked to raw milk. In some cases, these illnesses can result in hospitalization and long-term health problems.

“Those bacteria can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and bloody stool, and sometimes the infection can be serious enough to send patients to the hospital,” Dr. Patel added.

Part of the challenge, Dr. Patel says, is that misinformation continues to fuel demand for raw milk.

“One of the myths is that pasteurization kills off nutrients, and that’s been proven to be false,” she said. “Pasteurized milk has the same level of nutrients, including protein and calcium, as raw milk does.”

The AAP agrees, stating that the nutritional value of milk remains essentially unchanged after pasteurization. Pasteurized milk also does not worsen lactose intolerance or milk protein sensitivities compared with raw milk.

Another common misconception is that milk from local farms is automatically safer. However, pediatric experts caution that even milk from farms that regularly test for bacteria can become contaminated. Harmful germs can enter raw milk through animal waste, infected udders, insects, rodents, milking equipment or human handling during the production process.

For parents, the message is straightforward: while raw milk may be marketed as a natural alternative, pediatric experts say pasteurized milk provides the same nutrition without exposing children to unnecessary health risks.