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Avian influenza virus found in California raw milk sample

A California dairy that sells raw, unpasteurized milk is recalling some of it after tests found the avian influenza virus was present.

Dr. Keith Poulson with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory tells Brownfield it is odd to see what has been happening in California with higher raw milk demand during the past few months. “We’ve had stories out of Los Angeles that people’s demand for raw milk has really exploded because people think that if they drink it, they’re going to essentially vaccinate themselves by consuming the antibodies that are produced in that milk, and immunology really doesn’t work that way.”

Poulson says H5N1 is probably the least of his concerns with raw milk because there are other pathogens that are shed into milk. “It’s a public health risk and we really don’t want to see raw milk being consumed for multiple different reasons despite the claims for health and well being.”

Poulson says pasteurization makes fluid milk safe, and he says the aging process for certain raw milk artisan cheeses also kills pathogens that can affect human health. 

Fresno County, California-based Raw Farm LLC issued a voluntary recall Sunday for Cream Top whole raw milk from lot No. 20241109 with a “best by” date of Nov. 27 because of the presence of the avian influenza virus.  Customers can get refunds from their retailers.