Health officials are issuing an urgent warning against controversial raw milk following a New Mexico baby’s death.
Earlier this week, the New Mexico Department of Health announced that a newborn in the state had died after becoming infected with listeria, an infection caused by the bacteria monocytogenes.
Health officials said in a press release that they believe ‘the most likely source of infection’ was the baby’s mother drinking raw milk, or milk that has not been pasteurized.
‘While investigators cannot pinpoint the exact cause, the tragic death underscores the serious risks raw dairy poses to pregnant women, young children, elderly New Mexicans and anyone with a weakened immune system,’ the department said.
The pasteurization process, which is standard in US milk production, involves heating milk to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes to kill pathogens like listeria and E. coli, but raw milk skips this process.
No additional details have been released about the infant or the circumstances surrounding their death.
Raw milk has been shown to contain several forms of bacteria, including listeria, E. coli and Campylobacter.
While health authorities like the CDC recommend against anyone consuming raw milk, it is considered especially dangerous in pregnant or nursing women and young children due to listeria risks.
In a 2025 TikTok video, ‘trad wife’ influencer Nara Smith is seeing baking cookies with her husband. In the clip she takes a sip of what she says is raw milk, despite her being pregnant at the time
Pregnant women and children are more prone to listeria due to changes in their immune system, and the bacteria can then be passed to a fetus through the placenta.
‘Individuals who are pregnant should only consume pasteurized milk products to help prevent illnesses and deaths in newborns,’ Dr Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for the New Mexico Department of Health said in a press release.
From 1998 to 2018, the CDC reported three deaths related to raw milk. During that same period, there were 202 outbreaks linked to raw milk, which caused 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations.
Many believe the pasteurization process, which involves heating the milk and nothing else, strips it of much of its nutritional value, despite scientific evidence stating otherwise.
A 2017 study, for example, found that unpasteurized dairy products cause 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized products. Additionally, there are no beneficial bacteria in raw milk, according to the FDA.
Experts estimate pasteurization kills 99.9 percent of pathogens.
Sales of raw milk are illegal in eight states, while others, including New Mexico, allow it with clear distinctions, such as making it for pet use only or available only on farm stands.
Raw milk has garnered a cult-like following among conservatives, who believe each individual should decide what they drink regardless of risk. Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr has said he exclusively drinks raw milk.
Raw milk can carry dangerous germs such as salmonella, E. coli, listeria, Campylobacter and others that cause foodborne illness (stock image)
In December 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that companies handling raw milk must collect and share samples of the product upon request.
The measure, dubbed the National Milk Testing Strategy, was meant to identify which dairy herds were infected with H5N1, or ‘bird flu,’ which has infected hundreds of cow herds and 71 humans since 2024.
The CDC recommends against consuming raw milk that has been contaminated with bird flu, which some influencers have touted over the false belief that is protects against the illness by creating antibodies.
Jeff M Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, said: ‘New Mexico’s dairy producers work hard to provide safe, wholesome products and pasteurization is a vital part of that process.
‘Consumers, particularly those at higher risk, are encouraged to choose pasteurized dairy products to reduce the risk of serious foodborne illness.’
