Sprouts Farmers Market is heavily invested in raw milk recall in California

Sprouts Farmers Market and other grocers are at the center of a raw milk product warning issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Raw Farm LLC issued a voluntary recall of its raw milk and cream products due to multiple detections of the H5 bird flu virus in the company's milk and dairy cows over the past week.’

The L.A. County Department of Public Health is advising people to avoid consuming the recalled Raw Farm LLC products. The California Department of Public Health is also urging consumers to avoid any Raw Farm products, including raw milk, cream, cheese, and kefir, as well as raw milk pet food toppers and pet food kefir.

State public health officials identified the bird flu virus in retail products from Raw Farm, and additional testing by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) of bulk milk storage and bottled products at Raw Farm’s bottling facility showed the presence of the H5 bird flu virus.

In addition to the statewide voluntary recall, CDFA has placed the farm under quarantine, suspending any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter, and cheese products produced on or after Nov. 27.

Raw Farm products are sold at 32 Sprouts Farmers Markets in the state. Erewhon Market, Bristol Farms, Back Door Bakery, Eataly, Lassen’s Natural Foods, Lazy Acres, Mothers Market & Kitchen, Vitamin City, and The Whole Wheatery also carry the product.

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Meanwhile, Mark McAfee, CEO of the Fresno-based Raw Farm, says a transition team for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has encouraged him to apply for a position at the Food and Drug Administration. McAfee has applied for the position of “FDA advisor on raw milk policy and standards development.”

Raw milk products have been a hot topic recently.

Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller wrote an opinion piece advocating the sale of raw milk in grocery stores across the state. He said the decision to consume raw milk should be made by the consumer.

Texas state law prohibits the sale of raw milk, but the product can be sold directly by farmers.

Between 1998 and 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented more than 200 illness outbreaks traced to raw milk, affecting more than 2,600 people and putting more than 225 in the hospital.