The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has doubled down on its recommendation to consumers to only drink pasteurized milk, in the wake of the current Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak in dairy cattle.
In a written briefing issued May 1, 2024, the agency stated that it “continues to advise strongly against the consumption of raw milk, and recommends that industry does not manufacture or sell raw milk or raw milk products.”
The same document stated that bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans, but sporadic human infections have occurred. “It is important to note that ‘highly pathogenic’ refers to severe impact in birds, not necessarily in humans,” the FDA emphasized.
A larger pool of sample results from retail dairy products was also released by FDA on May 1. In nearly 300 samples of fluid milk, cottage cheese, and sour cream, no live, infectious HPAI virus was detected. Some previously tested retail samples showed viral fragments of HPAI, indicating that the virus had been present but was inactivated by pasteurization.
Meanwhile, the sale of raw milk remains a state-by-state checkerboard of regulations. According to Food Safety News, it is legal to sell raw milk in some fashion in 27 states. The most common model is selling directly to consumers at the farm or nearby farmers’ markets, but some states also allow retail sales of raw milk, coupled with stringent testing requirements and mandatory warning labels.
It remains a violation of federal law to sell unpasteurized, raw milk across state lines. Health officials caution against the consumption of raw milk due to the potential for spreading harmful pathogens including Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Brucella.
Food Safety News noted the people most at risk for severe foodborne illnesses are adults 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
