A California raw milk farm has voluntarily recalled a batch of cream top, whole raw milk after state health officials detected traces of bird flu in retail samples. The recall affects milk produced by Raw Farm, LLC, based in Fresno. Although no illnesses have been reported, health authorities are urging consumers to avoid the affected batch, and retailers have been instructed to remove the products from their shelves. This action follows a broader concern about the ongoing spread of bird flu, which has impacted dairy cows, poultry, and resulted in sporadic human cases.
California health officials emphasized the elevated risks associated with consuming raw milk, which is not pasteurized. Pasteurization is a heating process that kills harmful bacteria and viruses, including the avian flu virus, making pasteurized milk safer to consume. The recall was initiated as part of efforts to mitigate the risk of bird flu transmission through dairy products. Despite the finding, follow-up testing at Raw Farm’s two locations did not detect further traces of the virus.
Raw Farm’s vice president of marketing, Kaleigh Stanziani, downplayed the recall, reassuring customers that the company had regularly passed tests conducted by California regulators. She stressed that the recall would not affect their supply chain or delivery routes, urging consumers not to worry. The farm emphasized that their operations would continue as usual.
In response to the discovery, the California Department of Food and Agriculture will increase testing of raw milk, moving to test bulk tanks twice a week instead of once. This follows reports of a child in the Bay Area contracting bird flu despite having no direct contact with infected animals. California has reported the highest number of confirmed human cases of bird flu, with 29 individuals infected. The U.S. as a whole has recorded 55 human cases of the virus, with the outbreak originating in dairy cows earlier this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assures that pasteurized milk is safe to drink. However, the risks of contracting bird flu from raw milk are not yet fully understood. Unpublished studies on mice suggest that there could be a risk of infection from drinking contaminated raw milk, although no human cases have been confirmed through consumption. This uncertainty, along with the public health risks posed by the ongoing bird flu outbreak, has prompted health officials to recommend extra caution when it comes to consuming unpasteurized dairy products.
In 2023, Raw Farm was linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened over 165 people, many of them children, further fueling concerns about the safety of raw milk. Despite these previous issues, Raw Farm has continued to promote its products, which have a dedicated following among consumers who prefer raw milk for its perceived health benefits.
Currently, New Jersey is the only state in the U.S. to enforce a complete ban on raw milk sales. Nationally, about 4.4% of adults report consuming raw milk at least once a year. Prominent figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have endorsed raw milk consumption, which has contributed to its continued popularity despite health risks.
As bird flu continues to spread through dairy herds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ramped up bulk milk testing at the regional level. The USDA’s goal is to better identify where the virus is present and implement additional testing at farms as needed to ensure herds are free from the virus. The department has also stressed the importance of maintaining biosecurity practices to prevent the virus from spreading. Bird flu can be transmitted through equipment, people, and other items that move between farms, making biosecurity critical for protecting both animals and consumers.
