FDA Recommends State Officials Bar Sale of Raw Milk

The FDA is asking state, local and tribal health officials to help stop the sale of raw milk which may contain the bird flu virus. This is consistent with the FDA’s stance that raw milk is a high-risk food that may carry disease-causing pathogens. Currently, more than 30 states allow the sale of unpasteurized milk from farms in retail stores.

The FDA says raw milk has the potential to contain viable bird flu virus, so it represents a potential route for consumer exposure to the virus. However, there is not enough research to confirm the virus can be transmitted through raw milk. Tests have confirmed that pasteurization kills the virus.

This announcement comes as Minnesota became the 11th state to report a dairy herd with bird flu. The farm was located in Benton County, approximately 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis.