Do They Sell Unpasteurized Yogurt? The Truth About Raw Dairy Products

November 25, 2025 •

4 min read

By law in most places, all commercially sold yogurt is made from milk that has been pasteurized, killing harmful bacteria. However, the sale of unpasteurized yogurt, also known as raw yogurt, is not banned nationwide but is subject to state-specific regulations and is typically sold directly from farms or through herdshare programs.

Quick Summary

Commercially available yogurt is made from pasteurized milk, but unpasteurized, or raw, yogurt can be purchased directly from licensed farms in specific states, though it carries notable health risks and safety considerations for consumers.

Key Points

No Commercial Sales: You cannot buy unpasteurized yogurt in regular grocery stores due to federal and state pasteurization laws.
Farm-Direct Availability: Unpasteurized yogurt can sometimes be legally purchased directly from licensed dairy farms in certain states.
Significant Health Risks: Raw dairy products can contain dangerous bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, which pose serious health threats.
Vulnerable Populations: Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are at a higher risk of severe illness from unpasteurized dairy.
Home Production Requires Caution: Making your own raw milk yogurt is possible but carries the same inherent risks as consuming raw milk and must be done with great care.
Pasteurization Preserves Nutrients: The nutritional differences between pasteurized and raw milk are minimal, contradicting claims that raw dairy is significantly healthier.
Herdshare Programs: Some people acquire raw dairy products through herdshare agreements, where they legally own part of the animal producing the milk.

Understanding Pasteurization and Commercial Yogurt Production

Pasteurization is a process developed to heat milk to a specific temperature for a certain period, effectively eliminating disease-causing pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. In commercial yogurt production, this pasteurization step is crucial for food safety and is performed before the beneficial bacterial cultures are added. This process ensures a consistent, safe product that has a longer shelf life. For this reason, you will not find unpasteurized yogurt on the shelves of your local supermarket. The uniformity and reduced risk of contamination from batch to batch are major reasons why this process is universally adopted by large food manufacturers.

The Risks Associated with Unpasteurized Yogurt

Consuming any unpasteurized dairy product, including raw yogurt, comes with significant health risks. Even if a farm practices high levels of hygiene, contamination can occur during milking, packaging, or storage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites numerous foodborne illness outbreaks linked to raw dairy consumption. These illnesses can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations.

Vulnerable Populations and Raw Dairy Risks

Pregnant women
Young children
Older adults
Individuals with compromised immune systems

Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and hemolytic uremic syndrome. The potential dangers of raw dairy are the primary reason for strict regulations on its sale and distribution in most areas.

Can You Find Unpasteurized Yogurt?

Despite the restrictions on retail sales, it is possible to find unpasteurized yogurt, though not in the conventional sense. The availability depends heavily on local and state laws. Some states allow for the direct sale of raw milk and its products, like yogurt, from the farm to the consumer. Other options include:

Herdshare Programs: In states where direct sales are restricted, consumers may be able to purchase a "share" of a dairy animal. This legal loophole allows them to receive the dairy products, including raw yogurt, as a product of their investment rather than a commercial transaction.
Online Raw Dairy Retailers: Some farms that legally sell raw dairy can ship their products across state lines, though this is heavily regulated. You must check the specific laws of both the originating farm's state and your own state. A quick search can reveal potential suppliers like those listed on the Real Milk website, but verification of current regulations is essential.

Raw Yogurt Versus Pasteurized Yogurt

When considering raw versus pasteurized yogurt, it is essential to understand the key differences. This table compares the two to help you make an informed decision.


Feature	Pasteurized Yogurt	Raw Yogurt
Availability	Readily available in all supermarkets	Limited to farm-direct sales or herdshares in legal states
Safety	High safety assurance due to pasteurization; pathogens are eliminated	Significant risk of foodborne illness from bacteria like E. coli and Listeria
Shelf Life	Longer shelf life, typically several weeks due to heat treatment	Much shorter shelf life; must be consumed within a shorter window of time
Probiotics	Beneficial cultures are added back in after pasteurization	Contains natural bacteria from the raw milk, but also potential harmful pathogens
Nutritional Content	Retains most nutritional value; minor differences from raw milk	Advocates claim higher nutrient content, but health authorities state minimal difference
Legality	Legal to sell commercially in all US states	Legality varies by state; often restricted to specific farm-to-consumer models

Creating Raw Yogurt at Home

For those with access to a legal source of raw milk, making unpasteurized yogurt at home is an option. It's important to remember that this process still carries health risks, as the raw milk is not made pathogen-free. The process involves gentle warming of the milk, not high-temperature pasteurization. Recipes typically call for a starter culture and a warm, consistent temperature to allow the beneficial bacteria to ferment without destroying the natural enzymes. Some recipes recommend adding a thickener, like powdered milk or gelatin, because the process can result in a thinner consistency than commercial yogurt. The fermentation time (8 to 24 hours) affects the thickness and tanginess of the final product.

Conclusion

While the search for unpasteurized yogurt might lead to some alternative purchasing routes, it's a journey fraught with considerable health risks. The reason you don't see unpasteurized yogurt in grocery stores is grounded in public health and safety regulations designed to protect consumers from dangerous foodborne illnesses. For most people, the safest and most reliable way to enjoy yogurt is by choosing pasteurized products, which still offer excellent nutritional value and probiotics without the risk of pathogen contamination. The minimal potential nutritional upsides of raw dairy, which are often disputed by food safety experts, are outweighed by the serious health dangers, especially for vulnerable individuals. For more information on dairy safety, please refer to authoritative sources like the FDA's page on raw milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

The legality of selling unpasteurized yogurt varies significantly by state. Most states have strict regulations that prohibit or limit the sale of raw dairy products, including yogurt, while a few allow it under specific conditions, often requiring direct sales from the farm.

Yogurt is pasteurized to ensure consumer safety by killing harmful bacteria that may be present in raw milk. This heat treatment also helps ensure a consistent product and a longer shelf life before the beneficial starter cultures are added back.

Yes, consuming unpasteurized yogurt or any raw dairy product poses a risk of foodborne illness from pathogens like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, which can be life-threatening, particularly for vulnerable individuals.

While raw milk contains its own natural bacteria, it is not a reliable or safe source of probiotics due to the risk of dangerous pathogens. Commercially made, pasteurized yogurt has carefully selected beneficial cultures added back to ensure a safe, probiotic-rich product.

A herdshare program is an agreement where a consumer buys a share of a dairy animal, legally entitling them to the products from that animal, including raw milk and yogurt. This method is used in some states to navigate restrictions on direct raw dairy sales.

Homemade raw milk yogurt is not inherently safe and carries the same health risks as consuming raw milk directly. The potential for contamination remains, and homemade methods do not eliminate the risk of pathogenic bacteria.

In most commercial settings, all yogurt is made from pasteurized milk. If a product contains "live and active cultures," this means the beneficial bacteria were added after pasteurization. For clarity, the ingredient list or labeling will often state that it is made with 'cultured pasteurized milk'.