California suspends Uncooked Farm’s uncooked milk merchandise after hen flu detection

By Leah Douglas and Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – California has paused distribution of uncooked milk merchandise from the corporate Uncooked Farm after retail testing of two samples of its merchandise detected hen flu, state officers stated on Tuesday.

Chicken flu has unfold amongst U.S. dairy cattle since March, and has contaminated practically 500 herds in California, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Agriculture. Public well being officers have warned towards consuming uncooked milk as a result of it could actually carry pathogens, together with hen flu.

Uncooked Farm is the biggest U.S. uncooked milk dairy, with 1700 cows producing 70,000 gallons (265,000 liters) of milk weekly, in accordance with proprietor Mark McAfee.

The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration says pasteurized milk merchandise are protected as a result of the pasteurization course of kills the hen flu virus, California officers stated.

Thirty states permit the sale of uncooked milk.

No persons are identified to have contracted hen flu from consuming uncooked milk, however cats have died after ingesting it, in accordance with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Uncooked milk makes up lower than 1% of U.S. milk gross sales and is among the many gadgets together with psychedelics and sunshine that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president-elect Donald Trump’s decide to run Well being and Human Companies, has stated are being suppressed by the FDA.

The California Division of Public Well being issued recollects for 2 a number of Uncooked Farm merchandise final week after retail testing by officers in Santa Clara county.

The California Division of Meals and Agriculture stated on Tuesday that the farm is below quarantine and distribution of its uncooked milk product is suspended. State dairy inspectors sampled milk on the farm on Nov. 27 that examined optimistic for hen flu the next day, stated spokesperson Steve Lyle.

Uncooked Farm’s McAfee stated he’s being vetted by Kennedy’s staff for a possible coverage place on the FDA and that Kennedy is a shopper of his merchandise.

Kennedy should be confirmed by the Senate after Trump takes workplace in January. A spokesperson for Kennedy didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

McAfee expects his distribution can be paused for one to 2 months, and within the meantime is sending his milk to the majority milk provide to be pasteurized and bought below different labels.

Santa Clara is the one California county testing retail milk merchandise for hen flu, stated the state well being division. The county public well being division stated it has examined a retail container of uncooked milk from each dairy that sells uncooked milk within the county every week since June.

The USDA in October stated it will start a nationwide bulk milk testing effort to aim to additional include the unfold of the virus amongst dairy cattle.

Almost 60 folks have contracted hen flu this yr within the U.S., together with 31 in California, most of them farm staff with publicity to sick poultry or cattle, in accordance with the CDC.