Bird Flu Virus Found in Raw Milk in California, Highlighting Risks as Drink Goes Mainstream

California health officials are warning consumers about a batch of raw milk being sold in the state that tested positive for the bird flu virus, also known as H5N1. While the milk is being voluntary recalled by the company, it serves as yet another reminder that the popular drink can lead to serious health risks.

The recall. Officials with the California Department of Public Health announced the recall on Saturday. The product in question is Cream Top-Whole Raw Milk, which is sold by Raw Farm, LLC, a family-owned company whose customers include Gwyneth Paltrow. The recall only affects a single lot, though neither health officials nor Raw Farm officials specified how many individual products it contained.

The products affected include only quart and half gallon containers with lot code 20241109 and a best buy date of 11/27/2024. Health officials have advised the public not to drink the affected milk out of an abundance of caution, though no illnesses have been reported linked to this lot so far. 

California has reported 29 cases of bird flu in humans since October. Of those cases, 28 had contact with cows infected with the virus.

The raw milk boom. In a nutshell, raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that hasn’t been pasteurized, which is a process that consists of heating milk at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time to kill germs. Raw milk has experienced a boom in popularity in recent years, elevated by wellness influencers, celebrities like Paltrow, and figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The political scion was recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be Health and Human Services Secretary.

Proponents of raw milk claim the beverage provides a slew of benefits, from suddenly curing lactose intolerance to treating allergies. On its website, Raw Farm says that “[c]ustomers thrive when they consume this delicious, nutritious, natural, unaltered, and wholesome product.”

Based on the sales of raw milk, it’s clear that some of those messages are making an impact. Between the period of March and May of this year, the Associated Press reported that raw milk sales had risen between 21% and 65% compared to a year ago.

Not all milk that glitters is healthy. Public health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, have fervently denied the health myths associated with raw milk. Furthermore, they point out that raw milk contains several disease-causing pathogens, something that has been thoroughly studied in scientific literature.

Consuming raw milk can expose people to germs such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, the Centers for Disease Control explains. These pathogens can be especially dangerous to children, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems. Common symptoms from the consumption of raw milk include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. However, it can also provoke more serious health conditions, such as kidney failure or paralysis, and even death.

The future of raw milk. In recent years, raw milk has become more ubiquitous across the U.S., aided by states that have eliminated regulations prohibiting its sale. Americans have changed as well, with more people likely to question the advice of public health authorities. Some attribute this shift to the COVID-19 pandemic, an event where public health officials struggled to communicate effectively.

“I think Covid had a lot to do with [people’s newfound interest in raw milk],” Sally Fallon Morell, the president of an organization that supports raw milk, told Politico. “A lot of people don’t believe everything the government says anymore.”

Once Trump takes office, raw milk may experience another boost if Kennedy is confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary. Kennedy has criticized the FDA for what he calls its “aggressive suppression” of raw milk, which he claims, “advances human health.” There is no evidence to support that.

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