LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO, May 2 (Reuters) - U.S. sellers of raw milk appear undeterred by federal health warnings for consumers to avoid drinking unpasteurized milk in light of a bird flu outbreak that has affected dairy herds in nine states and sickened at least one dairy farm worker.

Thirty of the 50 U.S. states permit the sale of raw milk, which accounts for less than 1% percent of U.S. milk sales. A nationwide survey of pasteurized milk - heated to kill pathogens - found avian flu virus particles in about 20% of samples tested.

Many raw milk drinkers share a deep skepticism of public health officials, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which also battled political polarization and misinformation during and after the COVID pandemic.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
      11·
      7 months ago

      Drinking raw milk is dumb… but it’s extremely useful for cheese making just as long as you respect the danger and follow proper sanitary approaches.

        • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
          2·
          7 months ago

          If it’s aged at least two months - generally yes. You’re also heat treating the milk immediately when making a cheese instead of having it sit in the fridge while you slowly drink it.

    • treadful@lemmy.zipEnglish
      15·
      7 months ago

      Yeah, it’ll work its way out into the rest of the population pretty quick.

    • capital@lemmy.world
      5·
      7 months ago

      Unfortunately it might not just affect the stupid people.

      It might give the flu the chance to mutate and become more transmissible to other humans.

    • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
      31·
      7 months ago

      I grew up on a cosplay farm. Raw milk tastes amazing and no one should ever ever drink it or use it or make cheese. Listeria is 100% preventable. Anyone who says that they know that their source of raw milk is safe is at very best misinformed, because Listeria can live in the soil and “decide” to fuck up your life multiple years after it “decided” to fuck up someone else. Plus the providers of raw milk will lie.

    • gregorum@lemm.eeEnglish
      31·
      7 months ago

      I’ve tried it once before. It tastes like pasteurized milk, but more, if you get what I mean. Pasteurization and homogenization tend to take some of the flavor and richness out of the milk, so some people prefer the taste of raw milk, despite the health risks.

      With all of today’s risk of animal-borne pathogens, I think it would be absolutely stupid to drink unpasteurized milk.