Bird flu forces recall of raw milk sold from Modesto-area farm. What buyers should do
Bird flu has prompted a recall of raw milk sold from a dairy farm near Modesto.
It was ordered Saturday, Dec. 14, by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The recall involves Valley Milk Simply Bottled, on Maze Boulevard about five miles west of Modesto.
No human illnesses have been reported, but the agency said retailers and customers should dispose of plastic jugs with expiration dates between Dec. 23 and 30.
The CDFA said sampling detected the influenza-A H5N1 virus in a milk tank at the farm. Bird flu mainly affects poultry and wild birds, but it also can get into cow milk.
The farm, which does not pasteurize, has had recalls for other pathogens in recent years. The Modesto Bee visited for an in-depth story in 2021, when owner Joe Bento described his other sanitation measures. Customers said pasteurizing diminishes some of the nutrients and flavor.
The latest recall involves quart, half-gallon and gallon jugs. Some are labeled “Valley Milk Simply Bottled Raw Cow Milk.” Others say “DESI Milk Raw Cow Milk.” The latter is marketed by dietitian Desiree Lopez of Stockton.
The business could not be reached for comment Saturday. It has no connection with Valley Milk LLC of Turlock, which makes various powders from pasteurized milk.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
Raw milk sales are legal in California, but the CDFA said they pose a higher risk of food-borne illness than pasteurized products. That process kills the bird flu virus, the agency added. Raw milk dairies must follow other rules, such as sanitizing equipment and promptly chilling the beverage.
The CDFA said symptoms of bird flu infection in humans can include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.
Stanislaus County had none of the state’s 34 confirmed human infections as of Friday. Two cases were reported in San Joaquin County, involving farmworkers with known exposure to infected animals. Both have had mild symptoms and are recovering, according to a news release from San Joaquin County Public Health Services.
Fresno area has its own raw milk recall
The Fresno Bee reported that about half of the state’s dairy farms have the virus, including Raw Farm LLC in Fresno County.
It remains rare among humans but they should take precautions when around at-risk poultry and cattle, the California Department of Public Health said. It urges masks, face shields, goggles and gloves. The agency also recommends the seasonal flu vaccine for these people and the general public.
The Maze Boulevard farm had endured four recalls over three years when The Bee visited in 2021. All involved bacteria call campylobacter jejuni, which also prompted a 2022 recall of goat milk from the same site. Each time, the operations resumed after the CDFA signed off on safeguards.
Raw milk is a tiny niche in the dairy industry and illegal in some states. The mainstream industry credits pasteurization with saving many lives since its 1862 invention. Critics say the process, involving a brief blast of heat, kills beneficial microbes, too.
This story was originally published December 14, 2024 at 11:41 AM.
