Bird Flu Outbreak and FDA’s Warning
- The H5N1 bird flu virus has been spreading through dairy cattle, leading the FDA to ask states to take steps to protect the public.
- The FDA recommends stronger warnings about the dangers of raw milk and testing herds that produce it for sale.
- Some states allow the sale of raw milk for human consumption within their borders, but the FDA does not allow the sale of raw milk across state lines.
Rise in Raw Milk Sales Despite Bird Flu Warning
- Sales of raw milk have increased since the bird flu outbreak, despite warnings from the FDA and CDC about the health risks.
- The FDA and CDC consider raw milk one of the riskiest foods due to potential contamination with harmful germs.
- The virus has been found in the raw milk of infected cows, but pasteurization has been confirmed to kill the virus.
Limited Testing of Raw Milk for Bird Flu
- The highly pathogenic bird flu strain has spread to dairy herds in multiple states, and samples of raw milk have been found to contain the virus.
- Some farms selling raw milk declined to have their supply examined for bird flu, raising concerns about safety.
- The USDA does not require labs to have permission from farms to test milk samples for bird flu.
