Cow’s Milk Safety Update: What Families Need to Know

Cow’s Milk Safety Update: What Families Need to Know

We’re reaching out with an important update about cow’s milk safety and what it means for families with babies and toddlers who’ve transitioned to whole milk.

Earlier this week, the FDA announced it is pausing its federal milk quality testing program due to staffing cuts. This testing has been a critical backstop, screening for contaminants like antibiotic residues, pesticides, and toxins that may affect cow’s milk quality.

🧪 What this means:
Cow’s Milk is still pasteurized and tested at the state level—and Texas has one of the more robust programs in the country. But without the FDA’s additional layer of oversight, there is a slightly higher chance that an issue could slip through, especially with milk transported across state lines.While issues like this are still rare, babies and toddlers are more vulnerable because:

  • They consume more milk per pound of body weight than adults
  • Their immune systems are still developing
  • Milk often makes up a major part of their daily nutrition

✅ Our Recommendation:
We’re advising families to switch temporarily to ultra-pasteurized (UHT) whole milk.
This type of milk is:

  • Heated to a higher temperature (280°F), which kills more bacteria
  • Longer-lasting and safer during transport and storage
  • Nutritionally equivalent to standard pasteurized milk
  • Widely available in both conventional and organic options

💛 If you want the extra peace of mind, organic UHT milk is also held to stricter standards regarding pesticide and antibiotic use.

As always, we’re here to support your family’s health—milk decisions included. If you have questions about this update or need help choosing a milk brand that fits your family’s preferences and values, just reply to this email or bring it up at your next visit.

All the best,
The Bayou City Breastfeeding and Alamo City Breastfeeding Teams
https://bayoucitybreastfeeding.com/

https://alamocitybreastfeeding.com/

📍 Houston & San Antonio

SuzanneJuel

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