More raw milk recalled in California after discovery of bird flu virus in farm tank

By Katherine Dillinger, CNN

(CNN) — The California Department of Food and Agriculture has issued a statewide recall of raw milk produced and packaged by Valley Milk Simply Bottled after H5N1 bird flu virus was found in samples from a bulk tank at the company’s dairy farm.

The recall applies to all Valley Milk and Desi Milk raw cow milk in quarter, half-gallon or gallon jugs marked with dates between December 23 and December 30, the agency said in a statement.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall, but the department is urging consumers not to use the products and urging retailers to pull them from shelves. Modesto, California-based Valley Milk Simply Bottled and Desi Milk have not responded to CNN’s request for comment.

Raw milk and cream from Fresno, California-based Raw Farm were recalled in early December after bird flu virus was found in products from store shelves, dairy stores and bottling sites.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning Thursday advising residents not to consume raw milk products or feed it to their pets. Pet cats who consumed recalled raw milk recently became sick and died, the agency said. People who had contact with the cats were monitoring for symptoms and were offered antiviral medications.

Raw dairy products have not undergone pasteurization, a heating process that kills harmful germs such as bird flu virus, listeria, salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter. These pathogens can make anyone sick, but children, older adults, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to become ill. Previous illness outbreaks linked with raw milk or raw milk products have involved miscarriages, still births, kidney failure and death.

At least 12 illnesses have been reported recently in people who drank raw milk, the California Department of Public Health says, but none has been linked to bird flu.

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