Supply: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart’s ASAPH survey, February 2025. Credit score: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart
Though the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) situated H5N1 fowl flu virus in samples of uncooked, or unpasteurized, milk in assessments in 4 states in April 2024, and fowl flu has been detected in commercially bought uncooked milk, many People have no idea that consuming uncooked milk and its merchandise poses higher well being dangers than consuming pasteurized milk and its merchandise, particularly for youngsters. Consuming uncooked milk can expose one to Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Listeria, and Brucella—and, probably, H5N1 fowl flu.
A majority of U.S. adults (56%) is aware of that ingesting uncooked milk from cows, sheep, or goats is much less secure than ingesting pasteurized milk. However over 4 in 10 People both aren’t positive (25%), suppose uncooked milk is “just as safe to drink” as pasteurized milk (12%) or suppose it’s “safer to drink” (6%), in accordance with a latest survey by the Annenberg Public Coverage Heart (APPC) of the College of Pennsylvania. The findings are statistically unchanged from APPC’s July 2024 survey. Nearly a 3rd of individuals (32%) know that ingesting uncooked milk will increase an individual’s threat of foodborne sickness, although 14% suppose it has no impact and 51% aren’t positive.
The survey, carried out Jan. 30 to Feb. 10, 2025, amongst greater than 1,700 empaneled U.S. adults, additionally finds that two-thirds (66%) have no idea that kids are extra weak than adults to getting sick from the viruses and micro organism that may happen in uncooked milk.
“Consuming raw milk and raw milk products can make you sick and pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illness,” mentioned Patrick E. Jamieson, director of APPC’s Annenberg Well being and Danger Communication Institute. “Looking for the pasteurization label before buying or consuming milk or milk products such as cheese is good practice.”
Supply: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart’s ASAPH survey, February 2025. Credit score: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart
Hen flu
As of March 10, 2025, 70 confirmed U.S. circumstances of H5 fowl flu have been detected in individuals in 13 states, almost all from publicity to contaminated poultry or dairy herds, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC). One demise from fowl flu has been reported, involving a affected person in Louisiana. Up to now there have been no reported circumstances of human-to-human transmission.
From January 2022 by way of March 11, 2025, fowl flu has been detected in almost a thousand dairy herds in 17 states, and it has affected over 166 million poultry and wild aquatic birds, masking all states. Globally, in accordance with the World Well being Group, from Jan. 1, 2003 to Dec. 12, 2024, “954 cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus were reported from 24 countries. Of these 954 cases, 464 were fatal.”
Researchers have discovered that mice will be contaminated with fowl flu by ingesting uncooked milk. Though the FDA doesn’t at the moment know whether or not H5N1 will be transmitted to people by way of the consumption of uncooked milk, a examine with mice means that the virus in “untreated milk can infect susceptible animals that consume it.” The Nationwide Institutes of Well being says this implies “that drinking raw milk may pose a risk of transmission to people.”
Supply: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart’s ASAPH survey, February 2025. Credit score: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart
Uncooked milk and fowl flu
Hen flu in uncooked milk: The overwhelming majority of U.S. adults have no idea that fowl flu has been detected to this point solely in uncooked milk, not pasteurized milk. Simply 17% know that fowl flu has been discovered solely in uncooked milk. Two p.c incorrectly say fowl flu has been discovered solely in pasteurized milk, 7% say it has been present in each, 7% say it has been present in neither, and over two-thirds of these surveyed (68%) aren’t positive.
Uncooked milk and your possibilities of getting fowl flu: Nearly 1 / 4 of individuals (22%) say ingesting uncooked milk will increase the possibilities you’re going to get H5N1 or fowl flu, up from 15% in July 2024, although that is unchanged from November 2024. An equal quantity (22%) say ingesting uncooked milk has no impact by hook or by crook on whether or not you’re going to get fowl flu, although fewer individuals consider that at the moment than in November 2024 (35%). Over half of these surveyed (53%) aren’t positive what impact ingesting uncooked milk has on getting fowl flu, up from 43% in November 2024.
The FDA has mentioned that by heating milk to a particular temperature for a time pasteurization kills dangerous micro organism and viruses, and that pasteurization will inactivate the fowl flu virus whether it is current in uncooked milk.
Supply: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart’s ASAPH survey, February 2025. Credit score: Annenberg Public Coverage Heart
Uncooked milk and well being claims
APPC’s survey, which included non-milk drinkers, finds a small proportion of respondents (4%) who report having consumed uncooked or unpasteurized milk up to now 12 months, unchanged from our July 2024 survey. One other 2% weren’t positive whether or not they had consumed uncooked milk.
Survey respondents are equally break up between those that say uncooked milk has extra vitamins than pasteurized milk (28%) and those that say it has about the identical quantity of vitamins (28%). Forty p.c aren’t positive. The FDA says pasteurization kills pathogens in uncooked milk “without any significant impact on milk nutritional quality.”
Promoters of uncooked milk have made many claims about its well being advantages—however the FDA has categorized a variety of them as misconceptions, as is defined right here (present as of March 5, 2025). Although minorities consider in these claims, the survey finds that many extra individuals—about half of U.S. adults or extra—aren’t positive whether or not the claims are true or false:
Bone thinning (osteoporosis): About 1 in 4 individuals (26%) consider that uncooked milk is “about as effective” as pasteurized milk at stopping osteoporosis, though 10% incorrectly consider uncooked milk is simpler and 59% are not sure. The FDA says uncooked milk isn’t simpler than pasteurized milk at stopping osteoporosis.
Lactose intolerance: 40% consider that it’s false to say that commonly consuming uncooked, unpasteurized milk cures lactose intolerance. However 10% incorrectly say that is true and 50% aren’t positive. The FDA says uncooked milk doesn’t treatment lactose intolerance.
Bronchial asthma: 39% consider it’s false to say that commonly consuming uncooked milk reduces the signs of bronchial asthma, however 7% consider it’s true and 54% aren’t positive. The FDA says that uncooked milk doesn’t treatment or deal with bronchial asthma and allergy.
Immune system: 30% consider it’s false to say that commonly consuming uncooked milk enhances the human immune system, however 23% suppose it’s true and 47% aren’t positive. The FDA says uncooked milk “is not an immune system building food and is particularly unsafe for children,” who’re often extra weak to pathogens in uncooked milk than adults.
Youngsters’s vulnerability to illness: A couple of third (35%) know that kids are sometimes extra weak than adults to getting sick from the viruses and micro organism that may happen in uncooked milk. However 5% incorrectly suppose they’re much less weak, 16% suppose they’re “about as vulnerable,” and 45% aren’t positive.
Authorities regulation of uncooked milk
The FDA has prohibited the interstate sale of uncooked milk since 1987, however 30 states in america permit its sale in some kind, in accordance with the FDA. Survey respondents have been requested for his or her views on authorities regulation of uncooked milk gross sales and sellers:
Interstate uncooked milk gross sales: Almost 1 / 4 of these surveyed (24%) favor the interstate sale of uncooked milk, and a barely bigger group (28%) opposes it, statistically unchanged from September 2024. Almost half of respondents both aren’t positive (18%) or neither favor nor oppose it (29%).
Uncooked milk gross sales inside a state: Almost 1 / 4 (24%) favor the unrestricted sale of uncooked milk within the state through which they dwell, and one other quarter (25%) say the sale of uncooked milk needs to be banned, apart from farmers promoting from their very own dairy herds on their very own land. Fourteen p.c say the sale of uncooked milk needs to be banned of their states, and 37% aren’t positive.
Authorities intrusion: Almost a 3rd (32%) agree that federal authorities laws of uncooked unpasteurized milk are “another example of unnecessary government intrusion in people’s lives,” whereas a like quantity (34%) disagree. A 3rd (33%) neither agree nor disagree.
The rights of uncooked milk sellers: 1 / 4 (25%) agree that state legal guidelines prohibiting the sale of uncooked milk violate the constitutional rights of uncooked milk sellers, whereas a 3rd (34%) disagree, and 41% neither agree nor disagree. (Requested of a random half-sample.)
Warning labels: Over half (56%) don’t suppose that state legal guidelines requiring labels on uncooked milk containers warning concerning the dangers of consuming uncooked milk violate the constitutional rights of uncooked milk sellers, whereas 14% suppose the state legal guidelines do violate their rights. Almost a 3rd (30%) neither agree nor disagree. (Requested of a random half-sample.)
USDA testing of uncooked milk: Requested in how lots of the states the U.S. Division of Agriculture is testing uncooked milk for fowl flu virus, 74% aren’t positive. Two p.c say “none,” and 1 / 4 of these surveyed say both “some” (10%), “most” (9%), or “all” (5%). As of Jan. 8, 2025, the USDA says its Nationwide Milk Testing Technique has enrolled 28 states, accounting for almost 65% of the nation’s milk manufacturing.
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With fowl flu in uncooked milk, many in US nonetheless have no idea dangers of consuming it (2025, March 14)
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