Advice to Consumers

Advice to Consumers

We recommend that people drink and eat only pasteurized dairy products (including soft cheese, ice cream, and yogurt).

• Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a high enough temperature for a long enough time to kill dangerous bacteria.
• This is especially important for people at higher risk for foodborne illness:
  • Children younger than 5,
  • Pregnant women,
  • Adults 65 and older, and
  • People with weakened immune systems.

Raw milk and raw dairy products can pose severe health risks, including death.

• Raw milk is milk from cows or other animals that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria, so it can carry dangerous bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.
• You can’t look at, smell, or taste a bottle of raw milk and tell if it’s safe to drink.

Contact your healthcare provider if you if you think you may have become sick from drinking raw milk.

• Read about the signs and symptoms of Listeria infection.
• Read about the signs and symptoms of Salmonella infection.
• Read about the signs and symptoms of E. coli infection.
• Read about the signs and symptoms of Campylobacter infection.

Learn more about the dangers of drinking raw milk at CDC’s Food Safety and Raw Milk website.