--- title: "The Simulation Is Clearly Glitching Because Bird Flu Has Been Detected in Raw Milk" description: "Bird flu has just been detected in cartons of raw milk sold in California, the state's health agency said Sunday." date: "2024-11-25" modified: "2024-11-25" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore.md" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/bird-flu-detected-raw-milk" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "avian flu" - "bird flu" - "food" - "milk" --- # The Simulation Is Clearly Glitching Because Bird Flu Has Been Detected in Raw Milk ![Bird flu has just been detected in cartons of raw milk sold in California, the state's health agency said Sunday.]() *\Image: Valerie Plesch for The Washington Post via Getty\* Bird flu has just been detected in cartons of raw milk sold in California, the state's health agency said Sunday, deepening concerns about the spread of the virus — especially amidst a [growing trend]() in consuming unpasteurized dairy products. A strain of the avian virus known as H5N1 was discovered in a single batch of "cream top, whole raw milk" sold by Raw Farm, a dairy operation based in Fresno, that had a "best by" data of November 27, 2024, the California Department of Public Health [said in a statement](). A voluntary recall has been issued by Raw Farm, and stores have been instructed to pull the milk product from their shelves. At this time, no illnesses have been linked with the bad batch — though it may simply be too soon to tell. The H5N1 avian virus was once thought to only infect birds, which was bad enough on its own. An outbreak that began in 2022 has affected [over 110 million chickens]() in the US so far, which either die from the disease or are culled to stop the spread. But this year, the bird flu has repeatedly broken the species barrier, infecting cats, cows, and humans. There are 55 [human cases]() of H5 bird flu in the US so far, [according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](), with the first detection occurring in April. The bird flu's encroachment on the food supply has been alarming. H5N1 was first detected in dairy cows in March. In the month following, the Food and Drug Administration found signs that, for the first time, bird flu [was being passed into cow's milk](). (Most human cases have been with workers who are in prolonged contact with infected birds and cattle.) Genetic evidence of bird flu was even detected in commercial brands of pasteurized milk, but it has since been proven that pasteurization [successfully neutralizes the virus](), meaning dairy products treated this way are still safe to consume. But increasingly, many consumers are becoming adamant about drinking milk that hasn't been treated at all. This is dangerous in general, since raw milk can transmit a host of ailments, ranging from E. coli to salmonella. Now we can apparently add bird flu to that list. Despite the health risks, raw milk advocacy has taken an unusual hold in American right wing circles. No longer is it just a questionable nugget of bro-science wisdom — it's now a feature of the broader culture war landscape. The push has been so successful that sales of raw milk [have spiked compared to previous years](), and some states have passed laws to ensure easier access to these products. Among its most high-profile advocates is noted health nut [Robert F. Kennedy Jr]()., who has been nominated by president-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services. It goes beyond mere personal preference for RFK: he has lambasted the FDA over its "[aggressive suppression]()" of raw milk as part of his hostile stance against government regulation. **More on food:** *[One Dead and Dozens Sick as McDonald's Burgers Spread Deadly Disease]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()