The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is warning consumers to discard raw milk sold by the Gross Family Dairy in South Sterling, Wayne County, in that state. The milk may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Raw milk collected during routine sampling by a commercial laboratory on December 17, 2015 tested positive for the bacteria.
No illnesses have been reported to date, but the illness caused by this pathogenic bacteria can take up to 70 days to appear. The milk was sold at the farm and in Stroudsburg, Monroe County, at Earthlight Natural Foods, the Stroudsburg Farmers Market and the Monroe Farmers Market. It may also have been sold at Dutch’s Market in Greentown, Pike County; Everything Natural in Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County; and at Matt’s Farm Stand in Hamlin, Wayne County.
The milk is sold in half gallons and pints. It was bottled on December 20, 2015, with a sell-by date of December 30, 2015. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill bacteria.
Officials have ordered the owner to stop the sale of all raw milk until further notice. To start reselling, two samples taken at least 24 hours apart must test negative for pathogens.
If you purchased this product, do not consume it. Throw it away in a sealed container or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling this product. Then clean out your refrigerator or anywhere the milk may have been with a mild bleach solution to kill bacteria. Use a combination of one tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of hot water. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and is difficult to eradicate.
If you drank any of this raw milk, monitor yourself for the signs of listeriosis for the next 70 days, because that’s how long it can take this illness to appear. The symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance. Pregnant women, even though mildly ill, can experience miscarriage or stillbirth if they are infected. If you do feel sick, see your doctor and tell her you drank this recalled product.
