In a sobering reminder of how dangerous unpasteurised dairy can be, health authorities in New Mexico are urgently warning against consuming raw milk and raw dairy products after a newborn baby died from a Listeria infection that was most likely linked to the mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy. (AP News)
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| Newborn baby died from a Listeria infection that was most likely linked to the mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy. |
A tragic case puts raw milk risks in the spotlight
Officials from the New Mexico Department of Health say that while they cannot definitively confirm the exact source of the infection, the evidence strongly suggests that listeria bacteria in unpasteurised milk the mother drank during pregnancy caused the newborn’s fatal infection. (AP News)
Listeria is a form of bacteria that can cross the placenta and infect a developing fetus — leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, or life-threatening illness and death in newborns. Health leaders emphasise that even mild illness in a pregnant person can have severe effects on the baby. (NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth).
Why raw milk poses serious health risks
Raw milk — milk that hasn’t been pasteurised — can harbour a variety of dangerous pathogens, because it hasn’t undergone heat treatment to kill harmful microbes. According to public health authorities, raw milk may contain:
- Listeria monocytogenes — notably dangerous in pregnancy and linked to high newborn mortality. (NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)
- E. coli and Salmonella — common causes of severe foodborne illness.
- Brucella and tuberculosis bacteria — which can spread from infected animals.
- Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium and even influenza viruses in certain outbreaks such as bird flu. (CDC)
These pathogens pose especially high risk to pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems — the very groups who may be least able to fight infection. (CBS News)
Pasteurisation — the process of gently heating milk to kill harmful bacteria without significantly affecting its nutrition — dramatically reduces these risks and has been credited with lowering milk-borne disease outbreaks since its adoption in the early 20th century. (CBS News)
No proven health benefits outweigh the dangers
Despite marketing claims from some corners of the wellness world, there is no scientific evidence that raw milk offers meaningful health advantages over pasteurised milk. Health authorities including the FDA and CDC emphasise that:
- Pasteurised milk retains essential nutrients and is just as nutritious as raw milk. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
- Claimed benefits like improved digestion, immunity boosts, or allergy prevention lack solid evidence. (PMC)
- Any potential enzymes or “good bacteria” in raw milk are either destroyed by human digestion or present at levels too low to provide proven benefit. (PMC)
In fact, data from the CDC and FDA show that raw milk is significantly more likely to cause foodborne illness than pasteurised milk — a risk that becomes painfully obvious in cases like the New Mexico tragedy. (CDC)
A resurgence in raw milk promotion
Interest in raw milk has been increasing in recent years, driven in part by social media influencers and movements such as the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) health agenda that often frame raw milk as a natural or superior choice. (Wikipedia)
One notable case is Ballerina Farm, a lifestyle brand that became prominent online for its raw milk and raw dairy products. Health testing by Utah agriculture officials found elevated bacterial levels, including E. coli, prompting the company to pause raw milk sales amid health concerns. (People.com)
Experts caution that influencer promotion doesn’t mitigate real microbiological risks — and that social media hype should not outweigh public health evidence. There is now renewed public debate over raw milk legalization and regulation, with some political movements pushing for looser safety standards even as scientists and clinicians warn of dangerous consequences. (Wikipedia)
What health officials recommend
In the wake of the newborn’s death:
- Pregnant individuals are strongly advised to avoid raw milk and all unpasteurised dairy products. (AP News)
- Vulnerable populations — including infants, older adults, and immunocompromised people — should also stick to pasteurised dairy only. (CBS News)
- Consumers should check labels carefully to ensure dairy products are pasteurised. (CDC)
The science is clear: pasteurisation is a proven safeguard that prevents common and deadly infections without compromising the nutritional value of milk. Choosing pasteurised milk over raw milk isn’t just a personal preference — it’s a decision that can save lives. (CDC)
Sources: Current news on the New Mexico listeria case and broader public warnings — (AP News)
Public health data & science on raw milk risks and pasteurisation benefits — (NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)
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