A farm in California has halted production and recalled raw milk sold in stores after officials found bird flu virus in milk samples. According to state health and agriculture officials, the Raw Farm of Fresno volunteered to recall all whole milk and cream products from stores after the virus was found in various retail samples and dairy storage and bottling sites.

News reports say the recall covers all Raw Farm milk and cream produced in the entirety of November.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture quarantined the farm and suspended the distribution of raw milk, cream, kefir, butter, and cheese products produced on or after November 27. “Californians are strongly encouraged not to consume any raw milk or cream products in their possession or still on store shelves,” officials said in a statement.

The move followed recalls of two lots of Raw Farm products after bird flu was first detected in retail milk last month.

However, according to officials, to date, no new known cases of bird flu virus have been confirmed in those who drank raw milk. Pasteurised milk is heat-treated to kill the virus and is the safest way to drink.

Health officials also advised pet owners to avoid feeding Raw Farm products sold nationwide as “pet food toppers” or “pet food kefir” to their animals, who can become ill. Cats on farms with infected cows have developed brain damage and died after drinking contaminated raw milk.

Bird flu, also known as Type A H5N1 avian influenza, was for the first time detected in the US dairy cows in March this year. Since then, the virus has been spreading rapidly across many states, particularly California, where nearly 500 of the more than 700 infected US herds have been detected.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus has infected 57 people across the country, including 31 in California. It has led to mild illnesses in dairy and poultry workers who had close contact with infected animals. In two cases, an adult person in Missouri and a child in California with no known source of the illnesses were identified. No cases of bird flu spreading between people have been detected in the US.

For a long time, experts have warned against drinking raw milk as it is packed with germs that cause illnesses that range from mild to life-threatening. Raw Farm’s owner, Mark McAfee, has also called for less raw milk regulation. In an Instagram post, farm officials said they were working to restore supply quickly.

“There are no illnesses associated with H5N1 in our products. But rather, this is a political issue,” the post said. “There are no food safety issues with our products or consumer safety. We are working towards resolving this political issue while being cooperative with our government regulatory agencies.”

However, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been tapped as the nation's top health official, has vowed to allow wider distribution of raw milk. According to McAfee, Kennedy is a customer of his products and has criticised the agriculture department for cracking down on raw milk and promised that the Food and Drug Administration’s “aggressive suppression” of unpasteurised milk would end under President-elect Donald Trump.

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