Bird flu found in raw milk sample in California: Authorities

After bird flu was detected in a retail sample of raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm, LLC, the California Department of Public Health warned consumers Sunday not to consume milk from the same batch.

At the state’s request, the Fresno County-based company also issued a voluntary recall of the affected product: cream top, whole milk with lot number 20241109 and a “best before” date of Nov. 27.

Anyone in possession of the product will be able to request a refund from the place where the product was originally purchased.

Retailers were also notified to remove affected products from their shelves.

CDPH also emphasized that pasteurized milk is safe to drink.

Most cases of bird flu discovered in humans in the current outbreak occur in people who work directly with birds or cows. There are no known cases associated with the consumption of raw milk, but the risks associated with raw milk have long been known.

Food and Drug Administration was forewarned Possible dangers of drinking raw milk.

A May 2024 statement warned: “Raw milk can carry dangerous microbes such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, etc., which cause foodborne illnesses and are often referred to as ‘food poisoning’.”

Raw dairy products are not subjected to pasteurization, a heating process that kills bacteria and viruses.

However, pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume because the heating process kills pathogens that can cause disease, including bird flu.

However, raw milk does not contain Robert F. Kennedy Jr. There are also advocates like:

Last month, In a post on X, He called the FDA’s “aggressive suppression” of it part of the agency’s “war on health.”

In November, President-elect Donald Trump chose RFK Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services. The appointment requires Senate confirmation.

As of Sunday evening, no illnesses have been reported due to the presence of bird flu in a single batch of raw milk.

The contaminated sample was discovered as part of routine testing performed by the Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory, which tests raw dairy products from retail stores as a secondary means of protecting the consumer. The finding was later confirmed by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System.

In response to the positive test, the California Department of Food and Agriculture provided on-site testing at Raw Farms facilities that returned negative for avian influenza. CFDA will continue to test raw milk banks twice a week.

ABC News’ Claire E. Strindberg contributed to this report.