Pasteurized Milk

Download Texas Dairies Support Milk Pasteurization

The Texas Association of Dairymen agrees with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that consuming unpasteurized (raw) milk is a serious health risk.

Drinking or eating products made from unpasteurized (raw) milk can expose people to germs such as Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella, Salmonella and H5N1 bird flu.
Pasteurization is the only way to ensure milk products do not contain harmful bacteria. It is the process of heating milk to at least 161 degrees for at least 15 seconds and then cooling it rapidly to kill any disease-causing bacteria.
From 2013-2018, 75 outbreaks with 675 illnesses that occurred that were linked to unpasteurized (raw) milk. Of those, 78% occurred in states where laws expressly allow the sale of unpasteurized milk, and 48% of the illnesses were in those aged 19 and under.

No scientific evidence finds that drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk prevents or cures disease, illness or allergies.
Pasteurization of milk has never been found to be the cause of chronic diseases, allergies, or developmental or behavioral problems. It does not significantly change the taste or nutritional value of milk and dairy products.

Federal law prohibits the sale of unpasteurized (raw) milk across state lines, but individual state laws govern the sale of unpasteurized milk within the state.
Texas law allows unpasteurized (raw) milk to be sold only by farms who have a Raw for Retail license from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Sales can take place only on the farm, or through delivery direct to the consumer. DSHS requires these dairies to have their milk sampled on a quarterly basis for pathogenic bacteria and for the presence of antibiotics in the milk. Raw milk cannot be sold at farmer’s markets or in retail establishments. Only 14 states in the U.S. allow the retail sale of raw milk.

Learn more about unpasteurized (raw) milk and the importance of pasteurization from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.