On Sunday, the California Department of Public Health issued a warning to customers not to ingest any raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC after a retail sample was found to have avian flu.
Additionally, the Fresno County-based firm voluntarily recalled the impacted product—cream top, whole raw milk from lot No. 20241109 with a “best by” date of November 27—at the state’s request.
If the goods is still in the ownership of the owner, they may request a refund from the original retailer. Additionally, retailers have been informed to remove the impacted goods off their shelves.
Additionally, the CDPH has stressed that pasteurized milk is still safe to consume. In the present epidemic, the majority of human cases of bird flu are found in those who had direct contact with cows or birds.
Although the hazards of consuming raw milk have long been acknowledged, there are currently no recorded instances linked to this intake.
The potential risks of consuming raw milk have been previously alerted by the Food and Drug Administration.
In a statement issued in May 2024, it cautioned, “Raw milk can carry dangerous germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne illness, often called ‘food poisoning.'”
Pasteurization, a heating procedure that eliminates germs and viruses, is not applied to raw milk products.
However, since the heating process eliminates microorganisms that might cause sickness, including avian flu, pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to ingest.