The New Mexico Department of Health is warning New Mexicans to avoid raw dairy products following the death of a newborn from Listeria infection.
Health officials believe the most likely source of infection was unpasteurized milk the infant’s mother drank during pregnancy. While investigators cannot pinpoint the exact cause, the death underscores the risks raw dairy poses to pregnant women, young children, elderly New Mexicans and anyone with a weakened immune system.
“Individuals who are pregnant should only consume pasteurized milk products to help prevent illnesses and deaths in newborns,” said Dr. Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for the New Mexican Department of Health.
Pasteurization is a process of briefly heating milk to a high enough temperature to kill germs.
Raw milk can contain numerous disease-causing germs, including Listeria, which is bacteria that can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, or fatal infection in newborns, even if the mother is only mildly ill. Listeria is also able to invade the bloodstream of people with compromised immune systems, causing serious infections and sometimes death.
Consuming raw milk products can also expose people to other pathogens, including avian influenza, Brucella, Tuberculosis, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium and E. coli. Some of these diseases are particularly dangerous for children under 5 and adults over 65.
“New Mexico’s dairy producers work hard to provide safe, wholesome products and pasteurization is a vital part of that process,” said Jeff M. Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture. “Consumers, particularly those at higher risk, are encouraged to choose pasteurized dairy products to reduce the risk of serious foodborne illness.”
State restrictions around raw dairy have loosened in recent years. As of 2025, 18 states ban the sale of raw milk, while 32 allow it, according to the National Agricultural Law Center.
