A California dairy has recalled raw milk from retailers because it tested positive for bird flu. Raw Farm dairy, based in Fresno, recalled a certain lot of its unpasteurized milk regardless where it was available for sale. All quart and half-gallon sized milk products produced on Nov. 9, with an… Continue Reading Food Recalls, 2024 recalls, bird flu, Raw Farm, raw milk Food Safety News
A California dairy has recalled raw milk from retailers because it tested positive for bird flu.
Raw Farm dairy, based in Fresno, recalled a certain lot of its unpasteurized milk regardless where it was available for sale. All quart and half-gallon sized milk products produced on Nov. 9, with an expiration date of Nov. 27, with a lot ID of #20241109 are included in the recall.
On Nov. 24, state officials confirmed that the H5 virus — also known as bird flu — was detected in a sample of the dairy’s raw milk that was collected from a retailer. The virus is generally referred to as H5N1 when it is found in dairy cattle. Health officials say an H5 finding in a California dairy product is likely H5N1. No other H5 bird flu viruses have been detected in dairy cows.
The infected sample was collected by officials with the Santa Clara County public health office, who have been testing raw milk products from retail stores “as a second line of consumer protection.”
The sample was collected on Nov. 21, according to statements from both the state and the county. The county contacted stores on Nov. 22 and recommended they pull the raw milk from sale. The test results were confirmed on Nov. 23 by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, at the University of California in Davis.
As of Nov. 24, there had been no confirmed illnesses in relation to the recalled milk.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the ongoing spread of bird flu in dairy cows, poultry, and sporadic human cases, consumers should not consume any of the affected raw milk,” according to a statement from California public health officials.
Unpasteurized, raw milk can contain a variety of pathogens, including bird flu, E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter and hepatitis A.
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