Yolo County health officials warn against drinking raw milk: why take the risk?

As cases of bird flu appear in dairy herds across the United States, Yolo County residents are advised to avoid dairy products from unpasteurized milk

By EMMA CONDIT — city@theaggie.org

On May 10, Yolo County issued a press release warning its residents against drinking raw milk due to the high risk of contracting avian influenza, or bird flu. Raw milk is milk that is not pasteurized, a process that preserves food by heating it up just below the boiling point. Untreated milk and dairy products can contain bacteria and viruses that would otherwise be killed during pasteurization.

Yolo and Solano County residents should refrain from consuming raw milk products due to the “recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu, in dairy cows and their milk,” according to the press release.

Maria Marco, a professor of food science and technology at UC Davis, shared the importance of pasteurization.

“Pasteurization is a really effective way of making milk safe to drink,” Marco said. “When we look at raw milk, it contains all kinds of microbes. The microbes that are there may not even be coming from the animal but could cause harm to people.”

Marco explained that harmful microbes can come from the skin of the animal, the animal’s bedding, the animal itself and from surrounding fecal matter. Microbes found in raw milk can even be altered during storage and transit, according to a UC Davis study.

Yolo County’s primary concern is the spread of avian flu through milk. Though there have been no cases detected nearby, since March 25 avian flu has appeared in 63 dairy cattle herds in the United States. Although the virus rarely spreads to humans, when in humans the disease can cause very serious illness, according to the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since late March, the United States has seen two human cases of avian flu in people who contracted the illness through close contact with infected cattle.

A high viral load of bird flu is typically found in the milk of infected cows. Though cows can withstand the illness, it has been fatal to several cats that have consumed infected milk. Even though influenza is not typically seen as a foodborne illness, the threat of disease from unpasteurized milk is severe.

“Raw milk can harbor various pathogens capable of causing severe illness and death, including tuberculosis, salmonella, E. coli and now avian influenza virus,” according to the press release..

Despite all of its risks, the sale of raw milk has become increasingly popular in recent months. In California and 12 other states, the sale of raw milk as retail is legal. In 18 states, raw milk as a direct-to-consumer sale is legal. In the last year, weekly sales of raw milk have increased by as much as 21 to 65%.

Jack Lanham, a rising second-year at Willamette University, began drinking raw milk because of his stomach pain and digestion issues. Lanham said that the perceived advantages of drinking raw milk outweigh the health risks.

“If I’m able to drink milk without having severe stomach problems, I think it’s well worth the risk,” Lanham said. “I don’t like the idea that part of the milk is denatured when it’s pasteurized. With food being hyper-processed and being so fake, the idea of raw milk seems very natural and wholesome.”

Marco shared that unpasteurized milk, though it can seem appealing to some, is extremely dangerous.

“A lot of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. come from drinking raw milk,” Marco said. “There’s a perception that it’s probiotic or that it provides extra health benefits beyond pasteurized milk. If you want to have probiotic food, there are so many other options.”

Yolo County aims to take preventative measures to reduce the risk presented by the avian flu outbreak.

“Rather than wait for persons to contract avian influenza by consuming raw milk before issuing a warning, local health officials are acting based on preliminary data to warn about the potential for contracting avian influenza by consuming raw milk and milk products,” according to the press release.

Written by: Emma Condit — city@theaggie.org