Raw milk sales should be banned, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). That view and others about the risks of raw milk for children, infants and pregnant women are included in the organization’s policy statement published in the May issue of Pediatrics.
The AAP joins a host of medical, scientific and public health organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Association for Food Protection, the National Environmental Health Association, and the World Health Association in endorsing the consumption of only pasteurized milk and milk products for pregnant women, infants, and children. The AAP supports a ban on the sale of raw milk and certain raw milk cheeses, such as fresh cheeses, soft cheeses and soft-ripened cheeses.
Raw milk remains an ongoing public health hazard, says Robert Tauxe, M.D., deputy director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. On May 9, Tauxe sent a letter to state epidemiologists and state public health veterinarians saying because of the risks of raw milk, public health officials should consider restricting or prohibiting the sale of raw milk. Almost two years ago, Tauxe sent a nearly identical letter to state public health professionals.
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