Can I drink unpasteurised (raw) milk?

Last updated 04/10/2024

Unpasteurised milk, (also known as raw milk), is milk that has not gone through a pasteurisation process, which kills bacteria that can cause illness in humans. The sale of raw, unpasteurised milk for human consumption is illegal in Australia, as it potentially contains harmful bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella and Listeria.

Typical pasteurisation of milk involves heating to 72°C for 15 seconds. This process is very effective in destroying any disease-causing bacteria that may be present in raw milk and makes the final product safe for human consumption. ¹

It has been suggested that there are health benefits from drinking unpasteurised milk. However, scientific reviews by various international groups have concluded that there is no reliable evidence to support this.^2,3 In contrast, when analysing samples of unpasteurised raw milk, there is repeated evidence of high levels of pathogens that can cause illness.⁴ In some studies, almost a third of all milk samples contained at least one type of pathogen.⁵

Pasteurisation causes no significant change to the nutritional quality of milk, and protein quality and mineral concentration are not affected.⁶

Food regulators in Australia have assessed the risks associated with unpasteurised milk and strongly recommend that you don’t drink raw milk as it is a potential health hazard. Pasteurised milk is safe to drink and is a source of many important nutrients.