Did you buy raw milk at one of these stores? Another recall issued for tainted California milk

Susanne Rust
·4-min read
FRESNO CA JUNE 29, 2024 - Mark McAfee runs the largest raw milk farm in California with some 2400 head of dairy cattle in Fresno County. McAfee produces 4.5 million gallons a year and has revenues of over $30 million. (Tomas Ovalle / For The Times)
Mark McAfee runs the largest raw milk farm in California, with about 2400 head of dairy cattle in Fresno County. (Tomas Ovalle/For The Times)

California health officials announced Wednesday that another batch of raw milk from Fresno-based Raw Farm has tested positive for bird flu virus, as dairy farms throughout the state continue to struggle with a widening number of outbreaks.

For the second time in roughly the span of a week, Santa Clara County Department of Public Health officials tested store-bought raw milk and found evidence of the virus. The sample was collected and tested on Tuesday.

Raw Farm is voluntarily recalling a batch of "cream top" whole milk half-gallon-size products, lot No. 20231119, expiration date Dec. 7.

Read more: Questions follow massive recall of California raw milk after bird flu testing

According to Mark McAfee, the owner of Raw Farm, the state's Department of Food and Agriculture has requested that he "hold delivery of further products" until Friday.

On Wednesday, state agriculture officials visited his farms in Fresno and Hanford, as well as his creamery in Fowler, and tested finished and unfinished products, as well as his trucks, bulk tanks and bottling facility.

He said the investigation was carried out with a thoroughness "like never before."

There have been no reported illnesses associated with either this second recall or the first. The first recall also involved Raw Farm and was limited to a batch that was bottled on Nov. 9.

State and federal health officials say the H5N1 bird flu virus poses a low risk to the public. However, they have urged people not to drink raw, unpasteurized milk.

In addition, every waste site tested in California by WastewaterScan — an infectious-disease monitoring network led by researchers at Stanford and Emory University, with lab testing partner Verily, Alphabet Inc.’s life sciences organization — has tested positive for bird flu in the last two weeks.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a statement late Wednesday expanding the list of stores that may have sold bird-flu-contaminated raw milk.

They include:

  • Back Door Bakery, 8349 Foothill Blvd., Sunland, CA 91040

  • Bristol Farms, 7880 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046

  • Eataly, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067

  • Erewhon Market, 475 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101

  • Erewhon Market, 26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302

  • Erewhon Market, 4121 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029

  • Erewhon Market, 7660 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

  • Lassen’s Natural Foods, 1631 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

  • Lassen’s Natural Foods, 2080 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

  • Lassen’s Natural Foods, 710 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

  • Lazy Acres, 1841 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

  • Lazy Acres, 2510 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

  • Mothers Market & Kitchen, 6677 W. Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038

  • Mothers Market & Kitchen, 2475 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill, CA 90755

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 1302 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles CA 90019

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 1751 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90024

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 8985 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90034

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 915 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 2245 Yosemite Drive, Eagle Rock, 90041

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 7925 Atlantic Ave., Cudahy CA, 90201

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 5660 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City CA, 90230

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 12060 Lakewood Blvd., Downey, CA 90242

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 14411 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale, CA 90260

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 1515 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 4230 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance CA, 90505

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 15801 Whittier Blvd., Whittier, CA 90603

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 11522 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 11900 South St., Cerritos, CA 90703

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 4253 Woodruff Ave., Lakewood, CA 90713

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 820 N. Western Ave., San Pedro, CA 90732

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 4600 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90804

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 920 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 400 W. Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 39 N. Rosemead Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 6607 Fallbrook Ave., West Hills, CA 91307

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 10821 N. Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills, CA 91344

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 24285 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Valencia, CA 91355

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 21821 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91364

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 1011 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 11315 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 835 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont, CA 91711

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 655 S Grand Ave., Glendora, CA 91740

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 1375 Foothill Blvd., La Verne, CA 91750

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 239 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., Diamond Bar, CA 91765

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 2630 E. Workman Ave., West Covina, CA 91791

  • Sprouts Farmers Market, 150 E Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801

  • Vitamin City LB, 6247 E. Spring St., Long Beach, CA 90808

  • Vitamin City, 642 W. Arrow Highway, San Dimas, CA 91773

  • Whole Wheatery, 44264 10th W., Lancaster, CA 93534

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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