Collectively, our data indicate that HPAI A(H5N1) virus in untreated milk can infect susceptible animals that consume it.

In summary, HPAI H5–positive milk poses a risk when consumed untreated, but heat inactivation under the laboratory conditions used here reduces HPAI H5 virus titers by more than 4.5 log units. However, bench-top experiments do not recapitulate commercial pasteurization processes.