In Pennsylvania, where a raw milk Campylobacter outbreak has sickened at least 77 people during the last month, dairies – even those selling raw milk, are only required to test for pathogens twice a year, according to Penn State Food Safety, a blog by the Penn State College of Agricultural Services.
Pasteurization kills harmful pathogens, but raw milk is unpasteurized and can sicken consumers if tainted. Since 2006, there have been seven raw milk outbreaks involving five or more people, sickening 284 Pennsylvanians. In addition, there were nine clusters of five or fewer cases during that same period.
Most of the outbreaks have been caused by Campylobacter bacteria, with the remainder caused by Salmonella.
2007 York Salmonella 29 cases
2007 Cumberland Campylobacter 7 cases
2008 Lancaster Campylobacter 72 cases
2008 Montgomery Campylobacter 68 cases
2009 Lawrence Campylobacter 9 cases
2010 Lawrence Campylobacter 22 cases
2012 Franklin Campylobacter 77 cases*
*Ongoing outbreak
