The radioactivity levels were determined in 12 different brands of cow milks consumed in Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey using a high-purity germanium detector. The mean activity concentrations of Ra, Th, K and Cs were 3.2, 1.1, 31.3 and 0.5 Bq.L−1 , respectively. The values were comparable with the concentrations reported in the other countries. Due to consumption of cow milk, the radiological impact of them on the inhabitants was calculated by taking the annual intake into account through ingestion of aforementioned radionuclides. The estimated effective doses from milk were found to be 21.2 μSv year−1 for 226Ra, 6.1 μSv year−1 for 232Th, 0.1 μSv year−1 for 137Cs and 4.7 μSv year−1 for 40K. The calculated annual effective dose obtained from all measured radionuclides was much below the UNSCEAR recommended reference level of 200-800 µSv.y-1 for all milk samples. The obtained result data will contribute to establish a baseline level of radioactivity in cow milk and help to develop future guidelines in the country for radiological protection of the population