Bird Flu Virus May Survive Aging Process in Raw Milk Cheese
MONDAY, March 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — There's a new reason to steer clear of raw cheese: New research shows it can harbor the infectious bird flu virus for months.
"There is a risk of infection," lead study author Dr. Diego Diel, an associate professor at Cornell University, told CNN. "It obviously depends on the dose, how much of that contaminated product is ingested."
Though it's illegal to sell raw milk across state lines, since 1949 it's been legal to sell raw milk cheese provided it has been aged for at least 60 days. That period allows for development of natural acids and enzymes that have been thought to destroy pathogens.
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