Bird flu found in sample of California raw milk, officials say

FRESNO, Calif. -- After bird flu was detected in a retail sample of raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm, LLC, the California Department of Public Health warned consumers on Sunday to avoid consuming any from the same lot.

At the state's request, the Fresno County-based company also issued a voluntary recall of the affected product: cream top, whole raw milk from lot No. 20241109 with a "best by" date of Nov. 27.

Anyone in possession of the product will be able to pursue a refund from the location where the item was originally purchased.

Retailers have also been notified to take affected products off of their shelves.

The CDPH has also emphasized that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.

Most cases of bird flu discovered in humans in the current outbreak are with people that worked directly with birds or cows. There are not any cases known to be associated with raw milk consumption, but the risks associated with raw milks have been long established.

The Food and Drug Administration has previously warned of the possible dangers of drinking raw milk.

In a statement from May 2024, it warned, "Raw milk can carry dangerous germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne illness, often called 'food poisoning.'"

Raw milk products do not undergo pasteurization, which is a heating process that kills bacteria and viruses.

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

However, raw milk does have its proponents, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Last month, in a post on X, called the FDA's "aggressive suppression" of it part of the agency's "war on health."

In November, President-elect Donald Trump selected RFK Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The appointment requires Senate confirmation.

As of Sunday evening, no illnesses had been reported in association with the finding of bird flu in the single lot of raw milk.

The contaminated sample was discovered as part of routine testing performed by the County of Santa Clara Public Health Laboratory, which tests raw milk products from retail stores as a second line of consumer protection. The finding was then verified by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System.

In response to the positive test, the California Department of Food and Agriculture provided onsite testing at the Raw Farms facilities, which were negative for bird flu. CFDA will continue testing raw milk banks twice per week.

ABC News' Claire E. Strindberg contributed to this report.