Frightened {that a} drink of contaminated uncooked milk might trigger the H5N1 chook flu virus to leap to individuals, state well being officers have ordered that every one uncooked milk and cream from a Fresno-based dairy farm be pulled from retailer cabinets.
Customers ought to return any bought milk to the shop the place it was purchased, they add.
“Californians are strongly encouraged not to consume any raw milk or cream products in their possession or still on store shelves,” the California Division of Public Well being mentioned in an announcement launched Monday evening. Milk that’s pasteurized, which kills the virus and different pathogens, stays secure to drink.
Milk merchandise from Uncooked Farm, the state’s main uncooked milk producer, examined constructive for chook flu at each retail and dairy storage and bottling websites in current days, officers mentioned.
This can be a broader recall than what was introduced final week, following the invention of contaminated Uncooked Farm product at Santa Clara County retail shops from two particular a lot of milk. The Santa Clara County Division of Public Well being mentioned it was unable to authorize the discharge of the names of the shops.
Because the illness investigation continues, Uncooked Farm is cooperating absolutely with CDPH and the California Division of Meals and Agriculture.
However Uncooked Meals CEO Mark McAfee — who mentioned he has been requested to use for a U.S. Meals and Drug Administration advisory place within the incoming Trump administration — known as the recall and quarantine “a political issue. There are no food safety issues with our products,” he wrote on the corporate’s web site.
“We are working towards resolving this political issue while being cooperative with our government regulatory agencies,” he wrote. “Our family business has faced many political challenges before and we are resilient.”
Nobody has been sickened by avian flu after consuming uncooked milk merchandise from this dairy.
But it surely’s identified that publicity to contaminated uncooked milk could cause sickness. Because the virus has swept by means of the state’s dairy trade, infecting 493 of the state’s 1,100 operators, an estimated 30 California dairy farm staff have turn out to be sick.
“Drinking or accidentally inhaling raw milk containing bird flu virus may lead to illness,” in keeping with CDPH. “In addition, touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands after touching raw milk with bird flu virus may also lead to infection.”
Analysis revealed within the New England Journal of Drugs exhibits that the virus can stay infectious in uncooked milk for not less than a number of weeks when saved refrigerated at 39 levels Fahrenheit.
Cats consuming contaminated uncooked milk from the farms “bulk tanks” have turn out to be contaminated and died, in keeping with a report by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Subsequent autopsies have revealed extreme systemic virus an infection in these animals, affecting organs such because the mind and eyes, in keeping with Michael Payne of the Western Institute for Meals Security and Safety at UC Davis.
The virus spreads by means of aerosol particles and contaminated milking tools. Whereas most affected animals recuperate with supportive therapy, an estimated 10% to fifteen% of cows die, in keeping with Western United Dairies CEO Anja Raudabaugh. Many by no means return to their prior productiveness.
At the moment, the virus solely targets the cells of animals. But it surely’s only a mutation or two away from with the ability to goal the cells of individuals, virologists say. Because it spreads, there’s a higher likelihood {that a} mutation will emerge.
The virus appears to focus on the cells of a cow’s udder. This may occasionally clarify why youthful cows and beef cattle have been unaffected.
McAfee is allowed to promote milk from his 1,800-cow dairy to a processor who will pasteurize it and use it in numerous merchandise, together with milk or cheese.
In response to CDFA guidelines, if there aren’t any extra sick cows inside 60 days, it’s going to start testing the milk once more. Earlier than its milk will be launched, the dairy should take a look at unfavourable in three exams, with seven days between exams.
Uncooked milk is taken into account so unsafe that the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration prohibits interstate gross sales.
However particular person states nonetheless management uncooked milk gross sales inside their borders — and California is certainly one of 12 states that permit its buy in retail shops.
Uncooked Farm has been linked to a plethora of different outbreaks of pathogens unrelated to the chook flu virus, together with the micro organism Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter. In response to current litigation filed by Seattle-based lawyer Invoice Marler, victims of a Salmonella outbreak between September 2023 to March 2024 embody not less than six residents of Alameda County, 5 residents of Contra Costa County and 5 residents of Santa Clara County.
Somewhat than banning uncooked milk, California depends on promoting restrictions and warning labels to tell customers of threat.
If the state or federal authorities finds {that a} meals firm is egregious in its security or sanitation practices, mentioned UC Davis’s Payne, it might be pressured to stop operations till it implements applications that show it’s in compliance.
