AAP renews call for US ban on raw milk sales
The paediatricians’ group cites illness risks for children and pregnant people, and says pasteurisation does not diminish milk’s nutritional value.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has renewed its recommendation for a ban on the sale and distribution of unpasteurised milk products across the United States, citing foodborne illness risks and evidence that pasteurisation does not reduce milk’s nutritional value.
The AAP says its recommendation rests on data about illnesses associated with raw milk, particularly among pregnant people, fetuses, newborns, infants and young children. It says strong scientific evidence shows pasteurisation does not alter milk’s nutritional value.
The recommendation comes as state laws have loosened, according to the source report. Federal law bars interstate raw milk sales, while at least 27 states allow some sales. The report says outbreaks linked to raw milk have increased over the past two decades and nearly half of associated illnesses were in children.
The report also describes a California toddler who developed a severe E. coli infection after drinking raw goat milk. The case illustrates the risks cited by the AAP, but the supplied material does not establish a nationwide ban is currently in force.
