Avian flu found in sample of California raw milk: officials

After bird flu was found in a retail sample of raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm, LLC, the California Department of Public Health warned consumers Sunday to avoid consuming 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 from lot #20241109 with a best-before date of November 27.

Anyone who owns the product can request a refund at the location where the item was originally purchased.

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

The CDPH has also emphasized that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.

Most cases of bird flu detected in humans during the current outbreak involved people who worked 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.

The Food and Drug Administration has already warned about the potential dangers of consuming raw milk.

In a May 2024 statement, it warned: “Raw milk can contain dangerous germs such as salmonella, E. coli, listeria, campylobacter and others that cause foodborne illness, often referred to as ‘food poisoning.’

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

However, pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe for consumption because the heating process kills pathogens that can cause illness – including bird flu.

However, raw milk has its proponents, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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

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

As of Sunday evening, no illnesses related to the detection of bird flu in the individual batch of raw milk had been reported.

The contaminated sample was discovered during routine testing by the County of Santa Clara Public Health Laboratory, which tests raw milk products from retail stores as a second line of consumer protection. The finding was then reviewed by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System.

In response to the positive test, the California Department of Food and Agriculture conducted on-site testing at Raw Farms facilities, which came back negative for avian influenza. CFDA will continue to test raw milk banks twice per week.

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