The time is now for food safety professionals to heighten vigilance pertaining the dairy chain and raw milk—before the hypothetical risks of avian influenza H5N1 contamination become a reality. NEHA’s raw milk policy underscores the dangers of raw milk, advocating for policies that prioritize public health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently began a national sampling and testing assignment for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) in raw cow’s milk cheese.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched its five-part National Milk Testing Strategy to monitor and address Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) in milk and dairy herds. A new Federal Order and accompanying guidance has been issued.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by milk and dairy safety experts from FDA, CDC, and NCIMS to mark 100 years since the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) was adopted. We discuss the requirements and public health impact of PMO, the increasing consumer interest in raw milk and dairy, and the regulatory futures of milk and dairy safety and the PMO.
A recent study has shown the ability of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 to infect mice fed contaminated raw milk, while, separately, testing conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) has found HPAI traces in muscle from culled dairy cows.
Researchers recently demonstrated the inadequacy of an industry standard quality test—Laboratory Pasteurization Count—for raw, organic milk, as it cannot sufficiently differentiate between groups of bacteria.
The French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published a report on the microbiological risks associated with raw milk cheeses.