Bird flu virus detected in raw milk. What is worth knowing about threats

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the nation’s top health care job, promised to enable broader raw milk distribution all over America. But detection of bird flu virus in unpasteurized milk sold in California stores underscores what health experts say known and potential threats.

“It should be assumed that unpasteurized raw milk contains potentially infectious agents that can cause serious illness in people who drink it,” said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Minnesota who has studied foodborne illness outbreaks.

Raw Farm LLC of Fresno, California, voluntarily recalled one batch of whole raw cream top milk after Santa Clara County health officials detected bird flu virus in a sample last week. State health officials said the county is testing raw milk sold in stores as a “second line of consumer protection.”

No diseases have been detected in Raw Farm products, which have lot code 20241109 and a use-by date of November 27. However, officials with the California Department of Health warned consumers not to drink the milk and retailers should remove it from their shelves. . Los Angeles County health officials on Tuesday warned that “multiple retailers” may have been selling recalled raw milk contaminated with the virus.

Here’s what else you need to know about raw milk and bird flu:

What do we know about the bird flu virus and milk?

Osterholm said the discovery of the virus in raw milk sold in stores is not surprising.

Avian influenza, also known as H5N1 influenza A, was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in March and is spreading widely. In California, more than 435 dairy herds have been infected – more than all other U.S. states combined. High levels of the virus were detected in the milk of infected cows.

ABOUT 20% of samples Tests conducted earlier this year by government scientists found that pasteurized milk sold in stores contains viral remnants of the virus. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the bird flu virus as well as bacteria such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella that are known to cause disease.

California Department of Food and Agriculture officials conduct weekly testing of raw milk in bulk tanks from the state’s dairies. Additional testing at the Raw Farm site in California came back negative for the virus, but officials said twice-weekly testing for bird flu would begin.

There has been little testing on unpasteurized dairy products from stores, so it’s possible that other raw dairy products could contain the virus, Osterholm said.

“It’s still unclear how long testing takes,” Osterholm said. “We’re flying blind.”

Can bird flu in raw milk cause illness?

So far, there is no evidence that humans have been infected with the bird flu virus through consumption of raw milk. At least 55 people in the U.S. are known to have been infected with the virus this year, but almost all of them were dairy or poultry workers who developed mild illness after close contact with infected animals.

Tests have shown this mice fed raw milk infected with bird flu became seriously ill and barn cats Nicole Martin, a microbiologist and deputy director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program at Cornell University, noted that brain damage and death occurred on farms that drank milk from infected cows.

“I don’t think we know yet whether people can get H5N1 from consuming raw milk, but we have enough evidence to suggest that people should be a little more careful right now,” Martin said.

Who drinks raw milk and why?

Nearly 4.4% of American adults, or about 11 million people, say they drink raw milk at least once a year. According to a., about 1% of adults say they consume raw milk every week 2022 FDA study.

Proponents of raw milk cite perceived health benefits and better taste as their main reasons for consuming it. Raw Farm advertises its products as “unprocessed and complete” in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and beneficial bacteria.

Fans include Kennedy, who said I only drink raw milk. Kennedy criticized the departments of agriculture for cracking down on raw milk and promised that “ aggressive damping ” unpasteurized milk would run out under Trump.

Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm, has appeared several times on podcasts hosted by Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s former colleague. McAfee told the Associated Press that both Kennedy and Shanahan are clients.

“They want the same level of differentiation, great, tested, great, safe and delicious raw milk for everyone,” McAfee said.

What do health experts say about raw milk?

Health officials have warned for years that raw milk can cause illnesses ranging from mild to life-threatening. From 1998 to 2018, this was documented by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over 200 disease outbreaks comes from raw milk, which caused over 2,600 people to fall ill and over 225 to be hospitalized.

According to the Center for Dairy Research, before the United States adopted safety standards in 1924 under the so-called Pasteurized Milk Regulation, about 25% of foodborne illnesses were related to the consumption of dairy products. Currently, dairy products cause about 1% of such diseases.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content.