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In a nutshell
Despite the FDA finding H5N1 bird flu virus in raw milk samples, 44% of Americans don’t know that raw milk is less safe than pasteurized milk.
Only 17% of U.S. adults correctly know that bird flu has been detected exclusively in raw milk, with 68% uncertain about where it has been found.
Two-thirds of Americans (66%) don’t realize that children face greater risks than adults when consuming raw milk products.
PHILADELPHIA — The raw food movement has championed everything from uncooked vegetables to unpasteurized dairy, but when it comes to raw milk, new health concerns are surfacing. Despite recent bird flu detections in raw milk samples, many Americans remain confused or misinformed about the potential dangers.
Last April, the FDA found H5N1 bird flu virus in raw (unpasteurized) milk samples from four states. Since then, the virus has been detected in commercially sold raw milk as well. Yet many people still don’t realize that drinking raw milk carries greater health risks than pasteurized milk, especially for kids.
A new survey from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) paints a worrying picture of public awareness around this issue.
While 56% of adults know that raw milk from cows, sheep, or goats is less safe than pasteurized milk, the rest either aren’t sure (25%), think it’s equally safe (12%), or wrongly believe raw milk is safer (6%). These numbers haven’t changed significantly since last July.
Only about a third of Americans (32%) recognize that drinking raw milk increases the risk of foodborne illness, with 14% thinking it makes no difference and over half (51%) unsure.
Perhaps most concerning: two-thirds of people (66%) don’t know that children face greater risks from consuming raw milk than adults do.
“Consuming raw milk and raw milk products can make you sick and pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illness,” said Patrick E. Jamieson, who directs APPC’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute. “Looking for the pasteurization label before buying or consuming milk or milk products such as cheese is good practice.”
The H5N1 bird flu has become a concern in America after the CDC confirmed dozens of cases across the country. (Credit: Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock)
Bird Flu Spreading in Animals, Humans
The raw milk concerns come amid a broader bird flu situation that continues to evolve. By early March 2025, the CDC had confirmed 70 cases of H5 bird flu in people across 13 states. Most cases came from contact with infected poultry or dairy herds. One person in Louisiana has died, though so far there’s no evidence of the virus spreading between humans.
The animal toll is much higher. Since January 2022, bird flu has hit nearly a thousand dairy herds across 17 states and affected more than 166 million poultry and wild birds nationwide.
Globally, the World Health Organization tallied 954 human infections with the H5N1 virus between 2003 and 2024, resulting in 464 deaths across 24 countries.
What People Don’t Know About Raw Milk and Bird Flu
The APPC survey, conducted in early 2025, revealed several knowledge gaps:
Few Americans (17%) know that bird flu has been found only in raw milk, not in pasteurized products. Most (68%) aren’t sure, while others wrongly believe bird flu has been found in pasteurized milk (2%), both types (7%), or neither (7%).
Less than a quarter of people (22%) correctly believe that drinking raw milk increases the risk of getting bird flu, up from 15% last July but unchanged since November. Another 22% think it makes no difference (down from 35% in November), while over half (53%) aren’t sure (up from 43% in November).
Many Americans don’t understand that pasteurization kills harmful bacteria and viruses, including bird flu if present.
Health Claims vs. Reality
The survey found that 4% of Americans reported drinking raw milk in the past year, with another 2% unsure if they had.
Opinion is split on nutrition, with equal numbers believing raw milk has more nutrients than pasteurized milk (28%) or about the same (28%). The remaining 40% aren’t sure. The FDA says pasteurization kills harmful microorganisms “without any significant impact on milk nutritional quality.”
Raw milk advocates make various health claims that don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny:
While 26% correctly believe raw and pasteurized milk are equally effective at preventing osteoporosis, 10% wrongly think raw milk works better, and 59% aren’t sure.
Four in ten people know that raw milk doesn’t cure lactose intolerance, but 10% incorrectly believe it does, and half aren’t sure.
On asthma, 39% correctly say raw milk doesn’t reduce symptoms, with 7% wrongly believing it does and 54% unsure.
Regarding immunity, 30% rightly say raw milk doesn’t enhance the immune system, though 23% believe it does, and 47% aren’t sure.
Only 35% know children face higher risks from raw milk pathogens than adults do, with 5% wrongly believing kids are less vulnerable, 16% thinking the risks are equal, and 45% unsure.
Raw Milk Regulation Divides Americans
The FDA has banned interstate raw milk sales since 1987, but 30 states permit some form of raw milk sales. The survey found mixed opinions on regulation:
Nearly a quarter (24%) support interstate raw milk sales, while 28% oppose it, similar to findings from September 2024. The rest neither favor nor oppose (29%) or aren’t sure (18%).
Within states, 24% favor unrestricted raw milk sales, 25% think sales should be limited to farmers selling from their own herds and land, 14% want a complete ban, and 37% aren’t sure.
Around a third (32%) view federal raw milk regulations as “unnecessary government intrusion,” while 34% disagree and 33% have no opinion.
On constitutional rights, 25% think state bans on raw milk sales violate sellers’ rights, 34% disagree, and 41% have no opinion.
Most Americans (56%) don’t think warning labels on raw milk violate sellers’ constitutional rights, with 14% believing they do and 30% having no opinion.
Few people know how widespread USDA testing for bird flu in raw milk is. Only 10% correctly say “some” states, while 5% say “all,” 9% say “most,” 2% say “none,” and 74% aren’t sure. As of January 8, 2025, the USDA’s testing program covered 28 states and about 65% of U.S. milk production.
Science Behind the Concerns
The dangers of raw milk consumption are backed by research. Scientists have shown that mice can get bird flu from drinking infected raw milk. Although it’s still unclear whether humans can catch H5N1 by drinking raw milk, the National Institutes of Health suggests the mouse studies indicate a possible risk.
Beyond bird flu, raw milk can harbor dangerous bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Listeria, and Brucella.
Methodology
The findings come from the 23rd wave of an ongoing national survey panel run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. SSRS, an independent market research firm, surveyed 1,716 U.S. adults between January 30 and February 10, 2025. Most participants have been part of the panel since April 2021, with 360 new respondents added in September 2024 to account for attrition.
The margin of error is ±3.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All numbers are rounded to the nearest whole percent, which may affect some totals.
APPC has tracked Americans’ health knowledge and behaviors for nearly four years. The survey team includes research analysts Laura A. Gibson and Shawn Patterson Jr., survey research managing director Ken Winneg, and APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson.