California Pulls Raw Farm Milk, Cream Products From Shelves After Bird Flu Detection

Bottles of raw milk are displayed for sale at a store in Temecula, Calif., on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. JoNel Aleccia/AP Photo

All remaining raw milk and cream products from the company Raw Farm, LCC, are being pulled from shelves in California after further testing within the past week found the H5N1 bird flu virus in the products, state officials announced on Dec. 3.

Officials secured the “broad, voluntary” recall of the remaining products in stores after the items tested positive for the virus, also known as avian influenza, at both retail and dairy storage and bottling sites, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said in a statement.

The recall impacts the Raw Farm milk items produced between Nov. 9 and Nov. 27, according to the statement.

Raw milk is milk from animals such as cows, sheep, and goats that has not undergone pasteurization; a heating process that kills harmful bacteria and viruses such as bird flu.

“Californians are strongly encouraged not to consume any raw milk or cream products in their possession or still on store shelves,” the department said.

Customers are also being asked to immediately return any remaining product to the place of purchase in exchange for a refund or free replacement.

Pasteurized milk remains safe to drink, the department noted.

The newly expanded statewide voluntary recall comes after Fresno County-based Raw Farm issued limited voluntary recalls of its “cream top” whole raw milk products on Nov. 24 and Nov. 27 after officials with the Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory detected avian influenza in retail samples.

Additional testing by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) of bulk milk storage and bottled products at Raw Farm’s bottling facility this past week showed the presence of the bird flu virus, CDPH said.

All milk tested by CDFA remained at the Raw Farm plant and has not been not released to consumers, according to the department.

Raw Farm is cooperating fully with CDPH and CDFA as the investigation continues, the department said.

Raw Farm Working to Resume Full Supply

In addition to the statewide recall, CDFA has placed the Fresno County dairy farm under quarantine, and suspended any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter, and cheese products produced on or after Nov. 27.

Raw Farm is the largest U.S. raw milk dairy, with 1,700 cows producing 70,000 gallons of milk weekly, according to its owner, Mark McAfee.

In a statement posted to its official website, the company said it is working currently working “extremely hard” to resume full supply as fast as possible and has paused production while its herd remains under quarantine.

So far, there have been no reported illnesses in relation to the discovery of H5N1 bird flu virus in its products, Raw Farm said.

The company added that it is cooperating with government regulatory agencies regarding what it described as a “political issue,” without providing further details.

Bottles of raw milk from Raw Farm of Fresno, Calif., are displayed for sale at a store in Temecula, Calif., on May 8, 2024. JoNel Aleccia/AP Photo

Bird flu is a viral disease that is highly contagious among birds, although it has also been discovered in other animals, including pigs, dogs, and domestic cats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions and through manure, and it can prove deadly in domestic poultry.

Bird flu symptoms in humans can range from mild to severe and can include conjunctivitis, mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms, fatigue, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.

In more extreme cases, those infected with the virus may suffer from vomiting, seizures, and death.

According to the CDC, a total of 57 cases of bird flu have been detected in humans in the United States this year, of which 37 cases were discovered in California, 11 were found in Washington, 10 in Colorado, and two were in Michigan.

Health officials in Missouri, Oregon, and Texas have also reported a single case in humans in each of those states, according to the CDC.

Reuters contributed to this report.