Why Americans Choose Raw Milk: Evidence from a National Quantitative Survey
Abstract
Raw milk consumption is a controllable source of foodborne pathogen exposure in the United States (US), yet existing national estimates of raw milk consumption behaviors are outdated and do not capture emerging factors such as consumers' trusted information sources, sociopolitical influences, and at-home risk mitigation behaviors. We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of n=1078 US adults to estimate the prevalence of raw milk consumption and at-home thermal treatment practices and identify predictors of these behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate predictors of raw milk consumption and thermal treatment behavior using adjusted odds ratios (aORs). Among 1,075 eligible respondents, 15% consumed raw milk in the last six months, including 5% exclusively and 10% in addition to pasteurized milk. In multivariable analysis, raw milk consumption was independently associated with younger age, cohabitation with high-risk individuals for foodborne infections (including children less than or equal to five years of age, and elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised individuals) who had consumed raw milk, and perceptions of raw milk taste and safety. Adults aged greater than or equal to 55 years had lower odds of consumption than those aged 18-24 years (aOR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.15), while those living with a high-risk household member who consumed raw milk had higher odds of consumption (aOR, 4.39; 95% CI, 2.69-7.22). Perceiving raw milk to have higher risk of causing illness was associated with lower odds of raw milk consumption (aOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.62) compared to believing the risk to be equal across milk types, and thermal treatment was reported by 38% of exclusive raw milk consumers (n=58) and 47% of consumers of both milk types (n=106). Raw milk consumption in the US appears to be substantially more common than previously reported and shaped by factors such as taste, safety, and household raw milk consumption among high-risk individuals for foodborne infections. The proportion of raw milk consumers already practicing at-home thermal treatment suggests a potential opportunity for risk mitigation.
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BibTeX
@misc{ruser2026americans,
title = {{Why Americans Choose Raw Milk: Evidence from a National Quantitative Survey}},
author = {Sophia Ruser and Cristina Rojo and Katherine Koebel and Calvin Slaughter and Ece Bulut and Renata Ivanek},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.26.26366487},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.26366487v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Why Americans Choose Raw Milk: Evidence from a National Quantitative Survey
AU - Sophia Ruser
AU - Cristina Rojo
AU - Katherine Koebel
AU - Calvin Slaughter
AU - Ece Bulut
AU - Renata Ivanek
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.26.26366487
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.26366487v1
AB - Raw milk consumption is a controllable source of foodborne pathogen exposure in the United States (US), yet existing national estimates of raw milk consumption behaviors are outdated and do not capture emerging factors such as consumers' trusted information sources, sociopolitical influences, and at-home risk mitigation behaviors. We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of n=1078 US adults to estimate the prevalence of raw milk consumption and at-home thermal treatment practices and identify predictors of these behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate predictors of raw milk consumption and thermal treatment behavior using adjusted odds ratios (aORs). Among 1,075 eligible respondents, 15% consumed raw milk in the last six months, including 5% exclusively and 10% in addition to pasteurized milk. In multivariable analysis, raw milk consumption was independently associated with younger age, cohabitation with high-risk individuals for foodborne infections (including children less than or equal to five years of age, and elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised individuals) who had consumed raw milk, and perceptions of raw milk taste and safety. Adults aged greater than or equal to 55 years had lower odds of consumption than those aged 18-24 years (aOR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.15), while those living with a high-risk household member who consumed raw milk had higher odds of consumption (aOR, 4.39; 95% CI, 2.69-7.22). Perceiving raw milk to have higher risk of causing illness was associated with lower odds of raw milk consumption (aOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.62) compared to believing the risk to be equal across milk types, and thermal treatment was reported by 38% of exclusive raw milk consumers (n=58) and 47% of consumers of both milk types (n=106). Raw milk consumption in the US appears to be substantially more common than previously reported and shaped by factors such as taste, safety, and household raw milk consumption among high-risk individuals for foodborne infections. The proportion of raw milk consumers already practicing at-home thermal treatment suggests a potential opportunity for risk mitigation.
ER -