Bird flu affecting dairy cows causes FDA to request certain states to limit raw milk sales.
The FDA publicly urged states to adequately notify the public of the hazards related to drinking raw milk and to examine herds producing it for commercial purposes. They also suggested using the authority of these local regulatory bodies to cease sales of unpasteurized milk both within the state and in areas having confirmed herds infected with the virus.
Minnesota's department of agriculture reported 10 infected herds, making it the 10th state to do so, according to the USDA. Currently, there are 82 positively tested herds in the country.
Although raw milk is prohibited for sale across state lines in the USA, several states do authorize its consumption within their territories with diverse regulations. In a few instances, it's even legally sold as pet food labeled as "not for human consumption." People can do with the milk as they prefer in their homes.
Unpasteurized cow's milk could potentially carry elevated levels of the H5N1 avian influenza virus due to the virus's ability to infect cows through their mammary glands. Nonetheless, it's unclear if humans can contract bird flu by consuming contaminated milk. However, cats have died from consuming unpasteurized milk on farms with infected cows, and three dairy workers have tested positive after exposure to raw milk.
Dr. Don Prater, acting director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, stated in a letter posted on the agency's website on Thursday that it's imperative to collaborate to limit further exposure to humans and other animal species as a result of this potential threat to public health and the health of food-producing animals and wild species.
Apart from bird flu, the FDA mentions various health risks associated with raw milk, including illness, miscarriages, stillbirths, kidney failure, and even death.
Additionally, the FDA requests states to keep a peeled eye for signs of illness in dairy cattle herds that may indicate infection with the H5N1 bird flu virus and tell farms to discard milk from sick cows safely. Unpasteurized milk or raw milk products fed to calves or other animals should be treated or pasteurized, the FDA recommends.
Finally, the FDA implores states to enforce surveillance testing for the presence of the H5N1 virus in dairy herds that are likely involved in the commercial production of unpasteurized milk, and to report these results to both state and federal regulatory bodies. The agency plans to share new research and data about bird flu virus in raw milk and raw milk products in the coming days.
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The FDA strongly advises against consuming raw milk from infected herds due to the potential presence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Interestingly, even though cats have died from consuming unpasteurized milk on infected farms, there's still uncertainty about whether humans can contract bird flu from contaminated milk.
