While milk and dairy products provide essential nutrients, consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk can pose serious health risks. Recently, a health professional known as “The Liver Doc” sparked a heated discussion on X (formerly Twitter) about the dangers of raw milk. In his post, the hepatologist cautioned against consuming raw milk or giving it to children, revealing that it may contain harmful bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria, which can lead to serious health problems.

He also stressed the importance of pasteurization and emphasized that it was introduced “for a reason” to protect public health. “Sincere request. Please do not drink or feed raw milk to your children. It looks and sounds good because it feels like you are doing it the natural way like our ancestors did, but remember that our ancestors mostly lived long lives of 25-30 years. Raw milk may contain dangerous bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia, Brucella, Coxiella and Listeria. “H5N1 avian influenza (“bird flu”) virus has been detected in raw milk from cows infected with the H5N1 influenza virus,” his post read.

“These are not your recurring infections. Some of them can ruin your life (for example: Listeria can attack the brain and cause your child to have frequent seizures) or kill you (severe Salmonella infection can cause shock and limited The heart and brain may stop in time). Pasteurization was invented for a reason. Read more about why raw milk is not good for you and your kids,” the post further reads.

Pasteurization heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, effectively killing pathogens without compromising the nutritional content. He urged people to recognize that pasteurization “was invented for a reason” and is necessary for consumer safety.

Raw milk is milk from animals such as cows, sheep or goats that has not been pasteurized. In his post, the expert shared links to health advice from reputable sources, including the New York State Department of Health and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), both of which strongly discourage the consumption of raw milk and raw milk products. According to the FDA, raw milk is especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as transplant patients, individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, people with diabetes, as well as children, pregnant women, and older adults.

To further ensure safety, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends boiling raw milk for at least 30 seconds to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Although boiling cannot replace the reliability of pasteurization, it provides an additional measure for those who can still consume raw milk.

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