CNN reports that bird flu virus has been found in a batch of raw milk sold in California, and consumers should not drink it, the state Department of Public Health warned Sunday.
The agency said that no illnesses have been associated with the lot of raw milk and that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the ongoing spread of bird flu in dairy cows, poultry, and sporadic human cases, consumers should not consume any of the affected raw milk,” it said.
Raw Farm LLC, located in Fresno County, California, has recalled quart and half-gallon quantities of its raw milk that had a best-by date of November 27 and lot ID 20241109.
One of the samples tested positive for H5 avian flu on Thursday while the Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory was testing retail raw milk products. On Friday, the county got in touch with raw milk retailers and advised them to stop selling the product while the sample was being analyzed further. The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory independently confirmed the test on Saturday.
The company said that it is using its standard safety procedures to monitor cows for illness and that milk from the recalled lot should be off of store shelves. Raw Farm said in a news release that “All results performed by RAW FARM and all of the official tests by CDFA (the California State agency that regulates and tests Raw Farm products) have been NEGATIVE.”
CNN has reached out to the California Department of Food and Agriculture for comment.
“None of our supply has halted, changed or been paused,” Kaleigh Stanziani, vice president of marketing at Raw Farm, said in a video posted on YouTube. “We are not going to be adjusting any of our routes. We just want to make sure that we’re always an abundance of caution at all times.”
Since raw milk isn’t pasteurized, it may contain bacteria that cause illness. Raw milk is prohibited from being marketed across states, and public health officials have long cautioned against consuming it due to the possibility of sickness and death. There is no scientific proof that raw milk can treat allergies or illnesses, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
This year, there has been a surge in interest in raw milk as avian flu has spread among cattle and poultry in the United States. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the US Department of Health and Human Services, is among its well-known fans and has admitted to drinking it.
In June, the FDA urged states to warn the public more strongly about the dangers of raw milk and to use their regulatory authorities to stop the sale of raw milk in areas where dairy herds have tested positive for H5N1.
The new recall comes amid bird flu outbreaks in wild birds, poultry, and dairy cattle. There’s no evidence of person-to-person spread.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 55 human cases of bird flu in 2024, including 29 in California. The majority are associated with farm laborers who have come into touch with ill animals. The CDC reported last week that the first bird flu case in the United States was found in a youngster in California; an inquiry into the child’s exposure is currently in progress.
Human bird flu symptoms include common flu-like symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, exhaustion, difficulty swallowing, and red eyes. Anyone who has used the product and experiences any symptoms is urged by the California Health Agency to notify their local health agency or healthcare professional right away.
