Bird flu found in raw milk from California dairy farm prompts recall as cases rise in state

The bird flu virus has been found in raw milk from a California dairy farm that is sold in stores, as cases of the virus rise across the state.

Santa Clara County public health officials announced Sunday that a sample of raw milk from Fresno-based Raw Farm, the largest dairy producer and retailer in the Golden State, from a store on Nov. 21 tested positive for the H5 virus.

But they believe it was likely contaminated with the bird flu, H5N1, because no H5 cases have been reported in the state and it has not been identified in any cows. reports the Los Angeles Times.

“This is not surprising given the speed at which H5N1 appears to be spreading among California farms, and given that these farm outbreaks are being detected in large part as a result of bulk testing of raw milk from farms,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University told the outlet.

“What we don’t know is how much risk H5N1 poses to people who drink unpasteurized, infected milk.”

Raw Farm has since issued a voluntary recall for all one-gallon and half-gallon milk products produced on November 9 that expire on November 27 and have Lot ID No. 20241109.

There have been no reported cases of bird flu associated with Raw Farm products.

Still, the dairy company is asking stores to remove the products from shelves and urging consumers to return the products for a free replacement or refund.

Mark McAfee, the owner of Raw Farm, also noted that it was the first time one of his products tested positive for the virus since he started signing up for voluntary testing in April.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture then began weekly testing of raw milk in bulk tanks in August after cattle in three Central Valley dairy herds were infected with bird flu. according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

It will now begin testing for bird flu “twice a week” at Raw Farm retail locations, officials announced Sunday.

Raw milk carries an inherent increased risk of foodborne illness, which is eliminated by the high-temperature pasteurization process.

Unpasteurized milk can contain bacterial and viral pathogens, including salmonella, listeria and E. coli.

Raw Farm previously had to recall all of its raw cheddar cheese products linked to an E. coli outbreak in multiple states.

It was also linked to a salmonella outbreak in October 2023 that infected at least 165 people. according to the New York Post.

Recent animal studies indicate that the bird flu virus “could pose a risk if ingested in large enough quantities, but we have not yet seen any cases in humans resulting from the consumption of raw milk,” Nuzzo said.

‘Given that raw milk intake has no credible health benefits, I would personally avoid drinking it.’

California has now seen 29 positive H5N1 cases, all of which have been reported in dairy workers — with the exception of one case in a child in Alameda County reported last week.

Researchers are unsure how the child contracted the virus, but have ruled out contact with contaminated dairy or poultry products – including raw milk.

There is also no evidence that it is transmitted from person to person.

But since March, 402 California dairy herds have tested positive for bird flu in the state, while a total of 616 herds have tested positive nationwide.

The virus was also detected at wastewater sites in Santa Clara County, including Palo Alto, San Jose, Gilroy and Sunnyvale, and was detected in 24 of California’s 28 wastewater systems.

Meanwhile, only 55 cases of bird flu have been reported nationwide, meaning more than half of the cases are in California.

Symptoms include redness of the eyes, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.

Health officials advise anyone who believes they have the virus to contact their healthcare provider and local health department and isolate at home.