September 25, 2006

Raw milk recalled after children sickened by E.coli in California 

California has announced a recall and a quarantine of raw milk produced by Organic Pastures of Fresno County after doctors found 3 children sickened by E coli from it.

All Organic Pastures whole and skim raw milk is to be pulled immediately from retail shelves and consumers are to dispose of any product, State Veterinarian Dr. Richard Breitmeyer said.

The order also bars the dairy from producing raw cream and raw colostrums for the

retail market until further notice.

The quarantine order came following a report that raw milk caused bacterial illness in a 10-year old girl. An investigation by the California Department of Health Services detected two additional cases of illnesses in children after consuming raw milk. All three were hospitalised.

Doctors treating the children have identified the bacteria as E. coli 0157:H7.

While laboratory samples of Organic Pastures raw milk have not detected E. coli, epidemiologic data collected points to a link with Organic Pastures raw milk. Additional testing is pending.

Authorities say there is no evidence that the recent E. coli 0157:H7 contamination in fresh spinach is connected with this case and lab samples have shown them to be of different strains.

Most milk in California is pasteurised. Raw milk is not and thus stand a higher risk of bacterial illness.