Raw Milk Still Sold in 27 US States as Toddler Nearly Dies From E. Coli Despite 'More Natural' Claims

The American Academy of Pediatrics has renewed its call for a nationwide ban on raw milk sales, days after an investigation detailed how a 17-month-old girl in southern California nearly died from E. coli. The policy statement, published online on 5 October 2026, says unpasteurised dairy offers no proven health benefits. Sale of raw milk products remains legal in at least 27 states.

Academy Says Raw Milk Offers No Proven Benefit

The statement appears in the November 2026 issue of the journal Pediatrics and replaces guidance issued in 2014 and reaffirmed in 2025. It calls for a ban on the sale and distribution of raw milk and dairy products, including raw cheeses, and says pregnant people and children should consume only pasteurised dairy.

Lead author Dr Adam Ratner said nearly half of illnesses caused by raw dairy occur in people under 20, with a significant share in children under five. He said pasteurisation 'dramatically reduces the risks' without removing nutritional value.

Listeriosis is estimated to be 12 to 14 times more common in pregnancy than in the general population, the academy said. The statement also highlights highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) as an emerging risk associated with raw milk. Infectious H5N1 virus was detected in nearly one quarter of raw milk samples in affected areas during the 2024 US dairy outbreak, though no human infections from drinking raw milk have been confirmed.

Co-author Dr Mark Corkins said parents may choose raw milk as healthier or more natural, but 'the scientific evidence tells a different story'.

Toddler Hospitalised After Drinking Raw Goat Milk

The girl's mother bought raw goat milk from a farm recommended in a Facebook group, hoping to ease her daughter's constipation, according to the investigation. In June 2025, the child became severely ill and was diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 and haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a condition that damages the kidneys. Doctors suspected the milk. A stool sample later confirmed E. coli O157:H7. She needed a ventilator and dialysis.

A six-year-old girl who had drunk milk from the same farm was admitted to the same hospital with the same strain and needed blood transfusions. Both families have sued the farmer in Riverside County Superior Court, alleging negligence. The case is ongoing, and the farmer has said she will defend the claims.

California regulators closed their case in August 2025 without a penalty, finding the farm had sold unapproved milk products without a licence. In California, selling raw milk without a licence is a violation of state law and can carry fines of up to £7,600 ($10,000) and up to a year in jail.

Unlicensed farms in California can sell raw milk labelled as pet food, while 13 other states permit the sale of raw milk only as pet food.

Outbreaks Linked To Raw Dairy Continue Across States

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to Graziers raw milk cheeses sold by Sierra Nevada Cheese Company. It has caused 13 cases in nine states, eight hospitalisations and three cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Over half of those affected are children aged five and under, and the cheeses have been recalled.

More than 10 million Americans drink raw milk, and federal law restricts its sale across state lines. The US health department did not respond to questions about the academy's guidance. The CDC advises choosing pasteurised milk and dairy products, especially for children under five.