California Secures Recall of Raw Milk and Cream to Protect Consumers Recall includes all Raw Farm, LLC raw milk and cream remaining on retail shelves

CDPH warns consumers against consuming any raw milk products from quarantined farm 

California has secured a broad, voluntary recall of all Raw Farm, LLC raw milk and cream products due to possible bird flu contamination. Californians are strongly encouraged not to consume any raw milk or cream products in their possession or still on store shelves. Pasteurized milk remains safe to drink. 
 
Continuing its action to protect public health, the state has secured a broad, voluntary recall of all raw whole milk and cream products from Raw Farm, LLC that remain on retail shelves following multiple bird flu virus detections in the company’s milk and dairy in the past week. Raw Farm milk products have tested positive for bird flu at both retail and dairy storage and bottling sites in recent days.

Today’s expanded recall ensures that all sizes of Raw Farm milk and cream, produced between November 9 and November 27, are pulled from retail shelves. The affected lot numbers are 20241109 through 20241127, which includes the two lots recalled last week (November 27 and November 24).

Customers should immediately return any remaining product to the retail point of purchase.

Public health officials identified the bird flu virus in retail products from Raw Farm, LLC last week. Additional testing by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) of bulk milk storage and bottled products at Raw Farm’s bottling facility showed the presence of the bird flu virus. All milk tested by CDFA remained at the Raw Farm plant and was not released to consumers. As the disease investigation continues, Raw Farm is cooperating fully with CDPH and CDFA.

While this voluntary recall only applies to raw whole milk and cream, due to multiple bird flu detections in the company’s operation the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) urges consumers to avoid consuming any Raw Farm products for human consumption including raw milk, cream, cheese, and kefir, as well as raw milk pet food topper and pet food kefir marketed to pet owners.

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

No human bird flu cases associated with the product have been confirmed to date, and the state is working closely with federal and local partners to investigate the situation and better understand how it might impact consumers. California continues to monitor and respond to bird flu outbreaks in dairy cows and poultry. Bird flu virus levels have been demonstrated to be high in raw milk from infected cows, and sporadic human cases identified in workers in close contact with infected dairy cows and their milk indicate that raw milk is infectious to humans. 

Public health experts have long warned consumers against consuming raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness. 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. Raw milk products are not pasteurized, a heating process that kills bacteria and viruses such as bird flu.

Pasteurized milk and pasteurized milk products are safe to consume because the heating process kills pathogens, including bird flu, that can cause illness.

Drinking or accidentally inhaling raw milk containing bird flu virus may lead to illness. In addition, touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands after touching raw milk with bird flu virus may also lead to infection. 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. Anyone who has consumed these specific products and is experiencing these symptoms, should immediately contact their health care provider or local health department.

CDPH advises consumers to avoid raw milk “pet food topper” and “pet food kefir” products marketed to pet owners. They should neither eat this food themselves nor feed it to their pets. Cats, dogs, and other animals may become sick with bird flu after drinking raw milk. Cats on infected dairy farms in multiple states have died from bird flu, most likely from drinking raw milk from infected cows. CDPH encourages pet owners to avoid feeding their pets raw pet food products in general, including raw milk-based products. To further limit risk to pets, pet owners should also keep their pets away from sick or dead birds.

As part of the state’s bird flu response, testing of raw milk from dairies has been increased to help prevent raw milk consumers from getting the virus. Once bird flu was found in California dairy herds, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) began regular testing of raw milk in bulk tanks. In response to these recent positive tests from two retail raw milk batches, CDFA followed up with immediate additional sampling and testing at Raw Farm.

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. CDPH advises consumers not to drink raw milk or eat raw milk products due to the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Since early October, California has reported 31 confirmed human cases of bird flu, 30 of whom had direct contact with infected dairy cows. No person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in California or the U.S. To date, all cases have reported mild symptoms (primarily eye infections), and none have been hospitalized. Because bird flu viruses can change and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, public health officials have provided preventive measures and are monitoring animal and human infections carefully.

California continues to take swift and comprehensive action in response to the detection of bird flu in dairy cows across the Central Valley, demonstrating a strong commitment to public health and worker safety. While the overall risk to the public remains low, the state is prioritizing containment efforts, raising public awareness, and providing resources to those at higher risk. Key initiatives include the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), increased testing, and robust surveillance of infected areas.

Through coordinated efforts between CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and other agencies, California is leading a cross-agency response that includes multilingual outreach to dairy and poultry workers, a targeted social media campaign to promote preventive practices, and media interviews to keep the public informed. Additionally, the state is ensuring that farm workers have access to additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce concurrent flu risks.

Specifically, the state is:
• Working with local, state, and federal partners to monitor bird flu in farm animals and people who work closely with poultry and dairy cows.  
• Distributing protective gear to dairy farms and workers who have contact with infected dairy cows or raw milk to reduce the risk of getting bird flu.  
• Helping ensure individuals with symptoms of or exposure to bird flu have access to testing and treatment.  
• Conducting timely public education efforts to ensure those impacted have information about bird flu.

How Bird Flu Spreads
• Touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands after contact with raw milk from an infected cow, or other contaminated items or surfaces.  
• Splashing raw milk from an infected cow into eyes, nose, or mouth.  
• Drinking raw milk from a cow infected with bird flu virus.

More Resources
For the latest information on the state’s bird flu response, visit CDPH’s Bird Flu webpage and CDFA’s H5N1 Bird Flu Virus in Livestock site.

For information on the national bird flu response, see CDC’s Bird Flu Response Update.

For work-related questions or complaints related to bird flu, contact the Cal/OSHA Call Center in English or Spanish at 1-833-579-0927. Employers can contact the California Occupational Health and Safety Division at 800-963-9424 for a free consultation to strengthen their illness and injury safety program.

Farmers should contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s bird flu hotline at 866-922-2473 if they suspect their animals are infected with bird flu.

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.

Source: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/california-secures-recall-of-raw-milk-and-cream-to-protect-consumers-recall-includes-all-raw-farm-llc-raw-milk-and-cream-remaining-on-retail-shelves/