U Penn survey shows only 56% of Americans understand drinking raw milk is risky
The survey involved 1,700 adults during the first weeks of
February this year, and its findings are statistically unchanged from APPC's
July 2024 survey.
Only 4% of survey respondents report having consumed raw or
unpasteurized milk in the past 12 months, while another 2% are not sure whether
they had drunk raw milk.
Avian flu risks not understood
Since April 2024, avian flu virus has been detected in raw
milk samples taken from four states, but only 17% of those polled know that
bird flu has been found only in raw milk, and not pasteurized milk.
"Two percent incorrectly say bird flu has been found
only in pasteurized milk, 7% say it has been found in both, 7% say it has been
found in neither, and over two-thirds of those surveyed (68%) are not
sure," the researchers wrote.
In July 2024, 15% of those polled said drinking raw milk
increases your risk of being exposed to avian flu, and in the most recent poll
that number rose to 22%—the same proportion reported in November 2024.
Uncertainty about health benefits, food safety
While most people do not drink raw milk, they are unclear if
there are significant health benefits to consuming unpasteurized dairy. Though
pasteurization does not change the nutritional value of milk, 59% of poll
respondents said they are unsure if raw milk is more effective than pasteurized
milk at preventing osteoporosis.
Similarly, 54% are not sure if raw milk helps asthma
sufferers, and 47% are not sure if raw milk strengthens the immune system.
Nearly half of poll respondents—45%—said they were unsure if
children were more at risk from the viruses and bacteria found in raw
milk.
Children, older people, and immune-compromised people are
all at increased risk from foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella, Escherichia
coli, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Listeria,
and Brucella, if they drink raw milk.
Raw milk has become a questionable "wellness"
practice popular with some Americans who believe that the heat applied during
traditional pasteurization strips milk of many health benefits. The Food and Drug
Administration has debunked many of these claims, including the
claim that drinking raw milk will cure lactose intolerance.
US, state regulations
Selling raw milk across state lines has been illegal in the
United States since 1987, but 30 states allow statewide trade.
Among poll respondents, 24% favor the interstate sale of raw
milk, and a slightly larger group (28%) opposes it. And 32% said that federal
government regulations of unpasteurized milk are "another example of
unnecessary government intrusion in people’s lives."
The margin of sampling error plus or minus 3.4 percentage
points at the 95% confidence level, the authors of the poll state.
