Multiple Salmonella Lawsuits filed after 171 sickened by Raw Farm LLC Raw Milk

On October 18, 2023, an investigation of an outbreak associated with Raw Farm, LLC products was initiated. At least eight Salmonella cases who had reported consuming raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC of Fresno County, California, were discovered and reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Another nine cases from another county were discovered to be infected with Salmonella Typhimurium. Local health departments, CDPH, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) investigated this outbreak. This outbreak was assigned the CDC ID 2310MLJPX-2.

For this investigation, a confirmed case was defined as a laboratory confirmed infection of S. Typhimurium, within 2 alleles of code SALM1.0 – 6745.4.2.1x, that was highly related (within 4 SNPs) based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to the outbreak strain in a person with symptom onset since September 15, 2023. A probable case was defined as a laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infection, in a person who reported consumption of Raw Farm raw milk and had symptom onset from September 15, 2023 through May 4, 2024.

As of October 15, 2024, 171 cases (159 confirmed and 12 probable) have been reported from five states: CA (167), NM (1), TX (1), WA (1), and PA (1). In California the following counties reported cases: Los Angeles (27), San Diego (25), Orange (19), Placer (7),Riverside (7), Sacramento (7), Alameda (6), Ventura (6), Contra Costa (5), Kern (5), San Bernardino (5), Santa Clara (5), Solano (5), Santa Barbara (4), Stanislaus (4), Long Beach (4), Fresno (3), Kings (2), Madera (2), Nevada (2), San Joaquin (2), and Yolo (2).

Illness onsets ranged from September 21 to March 12, 2024. Symptoms included fever, bloody or watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and headache. The age range of cases was <1 to 87 years (median 7). sixty-five percent of cases were male. twenty (14%) known require hospitalization; no deaths reported. four discovered have co-infections with S. Typhimurium and Campylobacter and/or STEC. Most illnesses were among children.

All cases who met the confirmed case definition, regardless of raw milk exposure, and all cases who met the probable case definition were also interviewed with a raw dairy supplemental questionnaire to ascertain the brand and purchase location of their exposure and whether they had any leftover product, along with any other details of raw dairy exposures prior to illness onset. Seventy-two percent (91/127) of cases reported consuming raw milk in the initial and/or supplemental questionnaire. Eighty-five percent (46/54) of California cases, in interviews with the supplemental questionnaire, reported consuming raw milk. Of those who consumed raw milk and recalled brand information, 93% (41/44) consumed Raw Farm brand raw milk. 

The proportion of confirmed patients who reported raw milk consumption during the week prior to illness was significantly higher (binomial p-value <0.001) than expected by chance alone, compared to the estimated 1.9% background rate of raw milk consumption during the prior week based on 2018 and 2019 FoodNet CA population survey estimates. All five patients who reported consuming or likely consumed other types of raw dairy products (including various cheeses, cream, and butter) also confirmed drinking Raw Farm raw milk.

Based on epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by local and state officials that indicated that raw milk consumed by cases was produced at Raw Farm, Raw Farm, LLC recalled their raw milk and raw heavy cream on October 24, 2023, including products with best by dates from October 11, 2023 to November 6, 2023. 

Products were sold at the following locations: Bristol Farm, Clark’s Nutrition, Elliott’s Natural Foods, Erewhon Market, Frazier Farms Market, Jimbo’s, Lassen’s Natural Foods, Lazy Acres, Lunardi’s, Mother’s Market, Nugget Market, and Sprouts Farmers Market locations. Specifically, the recalled products included the Raw Whole Milk in a gallon container (128 ounce) with item number 1000 and the barcode 835204006004, the Raw Whole Milk in half gallon (64 ounce) container with item number 1005 and the barcode 835204000095, the Raw Whole Milk in quart containers (32 ounce) with item number 1010 and the barcode 835204000019, and Raw Heavy Cream in 16-ounce containers with item number 3050 and the barcode 835204000132.

Link to Report: https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2024/12/CA-EPI-24-01-Raw-Milk-S.-Typhimurium-Outbreak-08052024_FINAL_cleared.pdf

Previous Raw Farm, LLC Recalls and Outbreaks

Since September 2006, Raw Farm, LLC, formerly known as Organic Pastures Dairy Company (“OPDC”), has issued multiple recalls of unpasteurized milk products, and been linked to multiple outbreaks as outlined below. 

The following table shows Raw Farm’s previous history with contaminated products: 

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.