President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the nation’s top health care job, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has pledged to allow greater distribution of raw milk across America. But the detection of avian flu virus in unpasteurized milk sold in California stores underscores what health experts say is the known and potential risks.

“One has to assume that raw milk, unpasteurized milk, contains potential infectious agents that can cause serious illness in people who drink it,” said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Minnesota, who investigated outbreaks of foodborne illnesses.

Raw Farm LLC, of ​​Fresno, California, voluntarily recalled a batch of raw whole “cream” milk after Santa Clara County health officials discovered the avian flu virus in a sample last week. State health officials said the county is testing raw milk sold in stores as “a second line of consumer protection.”

No illnesses have been attributed to the Raw Farm products, which have lot code 20241109 and a best before date of November 27. But California Department of Health officials warned consumers not to drink the milk and said retailers should remove it from their shelves. . On Tuesday, Los Angeles County health officials warned that “many retailers” may have sold recalled raw milk contaminated with the virus.

Here’s what else you need to know about raw milk and bird flu:

What do we know about the bird and milk flu viruses?

It’s not surprising that the virus was found in raw milk sold in stores, Osterholm said.

Avian flu, also known as influenza type A H5N1, was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in March and has spread widely. In California, more than 435 dairy herds have been infected, more than all other U.S. states combined. And high levels of virus have been found in the milk of infected cows.

About 20% of samples Pasteurized milk sold in stores contained viral remnants of the virus, according to tests conducted earlier this year by government scientists. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the bird flu virus as well as bacteria such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella, which are known to make people sick.

California Department of Food and Agriculture officials conduct weekly testing of raw milk in bulk tanks from the state’s dairies. Additional testing at Raw Farm’s California locations came back negative for the virus, but officials said they would begin testing for bird flu twice a week.

Little testing of unpasteurized dairy products from stores has been done, so it’s possible other raw dairy products contain the virus, Osterholm said.

“It’s still unclear exactly how many tests are being done,” Osterholm said. “We are flying blind.”

Can bird flu in raw milk make people sick?

To date, there is no evidence that people have been infected with the bird flu virus by drinking raw milk. At least 55 people in the United States have been infected with the virus this year, but almost all of them were dairy or poultry workers who developed mild illness after close contact with infected animals.

Tests have shown that mice fed raw milk contaminated with bird flu became very ill and barn cats on farms that drank milk from infected cows suffered brain damage and died, noted Nicole Martin, a microbiologist and associate director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program at Cornell University,

“I don’t think we know yet whether people can get H5N1 from consuming raw milk, but we have enough evidence that suggests people need to be a little more careful at this time,” Martin said .

Who drinks raw milk and why?

Nearly 4.4% of American adults, or about 11 million people, report drinking raw milk at least once a year. About 1% of adults report consuming raw milk every week, according to one study. FDA 2022 study.

Proponents of raw milk cite perceived health benefits and better taste as primary reasons for consumption. Raw Farm promotes its products as “unprocessed and whole” containing vitamins, minerals, enzymes and beneficial bacteria.

Fans include Kennedy, who said he only drinks raw milk. Kennedy criticized the ministries of agriculture for cracking down on raw milk and promised that the Food and Drug Administration “ aggressive removal “Unpasteurized milk would end under Trump.

Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm, has appeared several times on podcasts hosted by Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s former running mate. Both Kennedy and Shanahan are clients, McAfee told The Associated Press.

“They want the same level of differentiated, wonderful, tested, beautiful, safe and delicious raw milk for everyone,” McAfee said.

What do health experts say about raw milk?

Health authorities have warned for years that raw milk can cause illnesses ranging from mild to life-threatening. Between 1998 and 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented more than 200 epidemics attributed to raw milk, which sickened more than 2,600 people and hospitalized more than 225.

Before the United States adopted safety standards in 1924 under what was known as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, approximately 25% of foodborne illnesses were linked to the consumption of dairy products, according to the Center for Dairy Research. Today, dairy products account for about 1% of these diseases.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Education Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.