Raw milk and milk products from cows, goats, and sheep can
transmit life-threatening bacterial infections, yet sales are still legal in at
least 30 states. In a new policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) advises pregnant women, infants and children to consume only pasteurized
milk, cheese and other milk products, and supports a ban on the sale of raw
milk in the U.S.
The policy statement, “Consumption of Raw or UnpasteurizedMilk and Milk Products by Pregnant Women and Children,” published in the
January 2014 Pediatrics (released online Dec. 16), reviews evidence of the
risks of consuming unpasteurized milk and milk products in the U.S., especially
among pregnant women, infants, and children.
“Given the progress we have made in prevention, there is no
reason to risk consuming raw milk in this day and age,” said Jatinder Bhatia,
MD, FAAP, a co-author of the policy statement. “Consumption of raw milk products
is especially risky for pregnant women, infants, immunocompromised individuals,
and the elderly, and the evidence overwhelmingly establishes the benefits of
pasteurization on food safety.”
Efforts to limit the sale of raw milk products have been
opposed by people who claim there are health benefits from natural factors in
milk that are inactivated by pasteurization. However, the benefits of these
natural elements have not been clearly demonstrated in scientific research.
Numerous data show pasteurized milk provides the same nutritional benefits as
raw milk, without the risk of deadly infections including Listeria,
Campylobacter, Salmonella, Brucella and E. coli.
“Consumption of raw milk or milk products can result in
severe and life-threatening illnesses such as miscarriage and stillbirths in
pregnant women, and meningitis and blood-borne infections in both young infants
and pregnant women,” said Yvonne Maldonado, MD, FAAP, the lead author of the
policy statement. “Before pasteurization of milk began in the United States in
the 1920s, consumption of raw dairy products accounted for a significant
proportion of foodborne illnesses among Americans, and resulted in hundreds of
outbreaks of tuberculosis and other serious infections.”
Today, an estimated 1 percent to 3 percent of all dairy
products consumed in the U.S. are not pasteurized. From 1998 to 2009,
consumption of raw milk products in the U.S. resulted in 1,837 illnesses, 195
hospitalizations, 93 illness outbreaks, and two deaths. The risks involved with
infections due to consuming raw milk are particularly high for pregnant women
and their fetuses, as well as for young children.
“Raw milk poses a significant health risk, since the process
of obtaining fresh milk from cows and goats can be fraught with risks of
contamination both while milking the animals and during storage,” said Mary
Glodé, MD, FAAP, a co-author of the policy statement. “Pasteurized milk and milk
products are extraordinarily healthy, nutritious and safe for children. We are
fortunate to have pasteurized products easily available for our entire
population.”
The AAP supports the position of the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and other national and international associations in endorsing
the consumption of only pasteurized milk and milk products for pregnant women,
infants, and children. The AAP also endorses a ban on the sale of raw or
unpasteurized milk or milk products in the U.S., including certain raw milk
cheeses. Pediatricians are encouraged to advocate for more restrictive laws
regarding the sale and distribution of raw milk and raw dairy products.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000
primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and
pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and
well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more
information, visit
www.aap.org.