Health authorities are urgently cautioning against the consumption of raw milk after a tragic incident involving the death of a newborn in New Mexico.

This week, the New Mexico Department of Health revealed that a newborn succumbed to a listeria infection, a serious condition caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Authorities suspect that the infection likely originated from the mother consuming raw milk, which is unpasteurized and therefore more prone to containing harmful bacteria.

In their statement, the department emphasized that while the exact cause remains undetermined, this heartbreaking event highlights the dangers raw milk poses, particularly to pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems.

In contrast, pasteurization—a common practice in the U.S.—involves heating milk to approximately 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes to eliminate dangerous pathogens like listeria and E. coli. Raw milk, however, does not undergo this crucial safety step.

Further information regarding the infant or the specific circumstances of the incident has not been disclosed.

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.’