Urgent raw milk warning spurred by E. coli contamination

The Pennsylvania Department of  Agriculture is warning consumers to immediately discard raw, unpasteurized milk sold under the Meadow View Jerseys brand because of contamination with E. coli.

The warning posted Aug. 14 relates to the milk purchased between Aug. 5 through 12 and with a sell-be date of Aug. 19.

The implicated milk was sold in plastic gallon, quart and pint containers, and plastic and glass half-gallon jugs.

Routine pathogen testing showed the milk was contaminated with E. coli, according to the state agriculture department.

“Shigatoxin-producing E. coli can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and other illnesses,” the department reported in the warning. 

Children younger than 5, adults over 65, and people with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill. E. coli infections can lead to a life threatening form of kidney failure.

The contaminated milk was sold at the following locations:

Berks County

• Weaver Orchard, 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA 19543

Dauphin County

• Soil & Soul Farm, 2405 Colebrook Road, Middletown, PA 17057

Lancaster County

• Meadow View Jerseys Retail Farm Store, 172 South Farmersville Road, Leola, PA 17540
• Bird in Hand Farm Supply, 2805 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA 17505
• Ebenezer Groceries, 465 North Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
• Everest Indian Grocery Store, 1621 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603
• Forry’s Country Store, 820 Ivy Drive Lancaster, PA 17601
• Hilltop Acres, 347 Rife Run Road, Manheim, PA 17545
• Meck’s Produce, 1955 Beaver Valley Pike, Strasburg, PA 17579
• Sensenig Poultry, 843 Furnace Hill Road, Lititz, PA 17543
• The Country Store 3140, Mount Joy Road, Mount Joy PA 17552
• Union Mill Acres, 7557 Elizabethtown, Road Elizabethtown, PA 17022
• Willow Creek Grocery, 30 Willow Street, Reinholds, PA 17569

Lebanon County

• Country View Grocery, 1941 Horseshoe Pike, Annville, PA 17003

About E. coli infections
Anyone who has consumed any of the implicated raw milk and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should immediately seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. 

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than 5 years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. 

People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/08/urgent-raw-milk-warning-spurred-by-e-coli-contamination/