#18,487
Over the past month we've seen several recalls of raw milk in California due to H5 contamination (see here, here, and here), and last week we saw the report of the deaths of two house cats after they were fed raw milk in Los Angeles.
California: LA County Health Dept - Suspected H5 Bird Flu Detected in Los Angeles County Cats That Consumed Recalled Raw Milk
Also last week, in Emerg. Microbes & Inf.: Marked Neurotropism and Potential Adaptation of H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4.b Virus in Naturally Infected Domestic Cats, we looked at a report on the HPAI H5 infection of a house full of domestic cats (n=10) in South Dakota, all of which died, many with severe neurological symptoms.
Over the past year we've seen literally dozens of cats whose deaths were linked to HPAI H5 exposure.
Yesterday the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced another recall of H5 contaminated raw milk, this time produced and packaged by Valley Milk Simply Bottled of Stanislaus County.
First the announcement, after which I'll have a postscript.
CDFA ANNOUNCES RECALL OF RAW MILK PRODUCED AT “VALLEY MILK SIMPLY BOTTLED” OF STANISLAUS COUNTY
Consumers urged to not consume raw cow milk due to Influenza-A H5N1 contamination.Release #24-121
Español
SACRAMENTO, December 14, 2024 – Raw milk produced and packaged by Valley Milk Simply Bottled of Stanislaus County is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The recall order came following the detection of Influenza-A H5N1 (bird flu) virus in samples taken from a raw milk bulk tank at the Valley Milk Simply Bottled dairy farm.
The order applies to all “Valley Milk Simply Bottled Raw Cow Milk” and “DESI Milk Raw Cow Milk” distributed in quart (32 oz), half-gallon (64 oz), and one-gallon (128 oz) plastic jugs with a code date marked on the container of DEC 23 2024 through DEC 30 2024.
Consumers are strongly urged to not consume any product remaining in their refrigerators and retailers are to pull the product immediately from their shelves. No illnesses have been reported.
Risks Associated with Raw Milk
Drinking raw milk containing bird flu virus may lead to infection with this rare, emerging flu virus. Symptoms of bird flu infection in humans include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.
While raw milk sales are legal in California and production practices are highly regulated, without the critical food safety step of pasteurization, public health experts have long warned consumers against consuming raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness. Due to this elevated risk, all raw milk products are sold with a warning label that states the product may contain harmful pathogens. Outbreaks due to Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, toxin producing E. coli, Brucella, Campylobacter, and many other bacteria have all been reported related to consuming raw dairy products.
Pasteurized Milk is Safe to Drink
Pasteurized milk is safe to drink. Pasteurization, one of the most significant scientific food safety discoveries in human history, is the process of heating milk to specific temperatures for a certain length of time to kill many microorganisms and enzymes that lead to spoilage and illness. Pasteurization kills the bird flu virus and other harmful germs that can be found in raw milk. The California Department of Public Health advises consumers not to drink raw milk or eat raw milk products due to the risk of foodborne illnesses.Protecting Against Bird Flu
CDFA has been working with the USDA as well as local and state partners to monitor bird flu in farm animals and the people who work closely with them. This incident is national in scope for both birds and cows following the initial introduction of the disease in 2022. CDFA conducts extensive bird flu testing throughout the state and establishes quarantine boundaries where necessary to protect animal and human health.
The `raw milk' movement in the United States continues to grow, despite ample evidence of its dangers. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Food Protection reported that:
Results show that 4.4% of U.S. adults reported consuming raw milk at least once in the past year, with 1.6% reporting frequent consumption of raw milk (once per month or more often) and 1.0% reporting consumption once per week or more often.Which suggests that several million people in the United States regularly consume raw milk, a practice that even without avian flu, carries a number of health risks.
Given that only a handful of states are actually testing raw milk for H5 contamination - and even when they do, the product can still end up on store shelves - this is potentially a huge loophole for the virus to exploit.
And given its recent string of successes, we really don't want to be giving aid and comfort to this virus.