Raw Milk and Raw Cheese: What the AAP's New 2026 Warning Means for Pregnancy, Babies and Toddlers

Last updated: October 2026. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised advice from your doctor, health visitor, or paediatrician. See our Editorial Policy.

Quick answer: No. On October 5, 2026, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published an updated policy statement saying raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw dairy products such as raw-milk cheese are unsafe for young children and for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and renewed its call for a ban on selling them. The timing matters: a multistate E. coli outbreak linked to Graziers raw milk cheese had, as of the September 25 CDC and FDA notices, sickened 13 people in nine states, hospitalized 8, and caused kidney failure (HUS) in 3, with more than half of those sick being children 5 and younger. The practical rule is simple: for pregnancy, babies and toddlers, choose dairy that says “pasteurized” on the label, check your fridge and freezer for the recalled cheese, and call your doctor if a child develops fever with diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, or signs of dehydration.

What the AAP just said

The AAP’s policy statement, “Consumption of Unpasteurized (Raw) Milk and Milk Products by Pregnant People and Children,” was published online October 5, 2026 and appears in the November 2026 issue of Pediatrics. It was written by the AAP’s Committee on Infectious Diseases and Committee on Nutrition and updates guidance last issued in 2014 and reaffirmed in 2025 (AAP news release via EurekAlert).

Its main points, as summarized in the AAP’s release and by CIDRAP:

Raw milk and raw dairy products, including raw cheeses, are unsafe for young children and for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The AAP renews its call for a ban on the sale and distribution of raw milk and raw dairy products. The sale of raw milk products remains legal in at least 27 states.
Claims that raw milk offers superior health benefits are not supported by scientific evidence. The statement says the purported benefits “have no evidence base and do not outweigh the risks.”
Lead author Adam J. Ratner, MD, MPH, said nearly half of illnesses caused by raw dairy occur in people under 20, with a significant share in children under 5.

Why pregnancy and young children are the high-risk groups

Raw milk is a documented source of germs including Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Brucella, which can cause hospitalization, life-threatening illness, miscarriage and death, particularly in young children, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems (AAP release).

In pregnancy: the AAP estimates listeriosis is 12 to 14 times more common during pregnancy than in the general population, and infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe illness in newborns.

In children under 5: HealthyChildren.org, the AAP’s parent site, notes that children under 5 are at higher risk of serious complications, including kidney damage from hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

CIDRAP, summarizing the statement’s outbreak data, reports that from 2013 to 2018 there were 75 known outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk products, causing 675 illnesses, 98 hospitalizations and two deaths. Roughly half of those who became ill were younger than 20, and 14% were under 5.

The outbreak behind the headlines: Graziers raw milk cheese

Days before the AAP statement, federal officials announced a multistate outbreak that shows exactly why pediatricians are worried.

According to the CDC outbreak notice and the FDA investigation page (both as of the September 25 update):

13 people sick with E. coli O26:H11 in nine states (CA, CO, GA, KY, MI, NV, OR, TN, UT), 8 hospitalized, 3 with HUS, and no deaths.
Over half of those sick are children 5 years old and younger.
Of the 9 people interviewed, all 9 reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese.
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company recalled all Graziers raw milk cheeses on September 24: medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack and Monterey jack, sold in 8-oz or 16-oz retail packages and 5-lb loaves for food service. The product was sold nationwide and online.
The investigation was still open, and FDA said it was working to determine the source of contamination and whether other products are affected. Check the FDA page for newer updates.

Because the cheese has a long shelf life, both agencies say to check your refrigerator and freezer. If you stored it without the original packaging and can’t tell whether it is part of the recall, FDA says to throw it away.

What to do today

Read labels. For milk, cream, yogurt, ice cream and cheese, look for the word “pasteurized.” If it isn’t on the label or in the ingredients, ask. HealthyChildren.org lists unpasteurized soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, and Mexican-style cheeses like queso fresco, panela, asadero and queso blanco among the high-risk products.
Check for the recalled Graziers cheese (see above) and throw it out or return it for a refund. Clean surfaces and containers it touched with hot soapy water or in the dishwasher, per CDC.
Don’t treat “tested” or “local” as “safe.” HealthyChildren.org says a farm that regularly tests its milk for bacteria can still sell contaminated product, and that selling at a farmers market doesn’t make raw milk safe.
Store dairy properly. Keep pasteurized dairy at 40°F or below and don’t eat expired products.
Know when to call. CDC says to call your healthcare provider right away for diarrhea with a fever above 102°F, diarrhea lasting more than 2 days without improving, bloody diarrhea, vomiting so severe you can’t keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration (not peeing much, dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing). Symptoms can start a few days after eating the food or up to nine days later, per FDA. If your child got sick after eating something, report it to your local health department.

What about bird flu?

The AAP statement flags H5N1 avian influenza as an emerging concern. During the 2024 U.S. dairy cattle outbreak, infectious H5N1 virus was detected in nearly one-quarter of raw milk samples in affected areas, and it can stay detectable in refrigerated raw milk for up to five weeks. There are no confirmed human H5N1 cases from drinking raw milk so far, but the AAP calls it a credible emerging threat.

The reassuring part: HealthyChildren.org says pasteurization works well against bacteria and viruses, and that there is no evidence bird flu can spread through pasteurized dairy products or infant formula.

“But isn’t raw milk more nutritious?”

This is the claim driving most raw-milk interest, and the AAP says the evidence isn’t there. Pasteurized milk provides the same essential nutrients, and key nutrients remain largely unchanged by pasteurization (HealthyChildren.org). It also doesn’t help with lactose intolerance or milk allergy: both raw and pasteurized milk can affect children with those conditions. Co-author Mark R. Corkins, MD, put it this way: “Pasteurized dairy products provide the same essential nutrients without exposing children and families to preventable infections from dangerous bacteria and viruses.”

When a wellness trend makes a safety claim that sounds too good, it’s worth running it through a quick check before it reaches your toddler’s cup. We cover a simple three-step test in our guide to verifying viral baby hacks.

The bottom line

For pregnancy, babies, toddlers and breastfeeding, the AAP’s answer is clear: choose pasteurized milk and dairy only, and skip raw milk and raw-milk cheese. This isn’t a theoretical risk this month. A live outbreak tied to raw cheese has put children in the hospital, and the recalled products have a long shelf life, so check your fridge and freezer today. If you’re pregnant, or a child in your home has symptoms after eating a food you’re unsure about, call your doctor or pediatrician rather than waiting it out.

Sources

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Raw Milk and Raw Cheese: What the AAP’s New 2026 Warning Means for Pregnancy, Babies and Toddlers