Dungeness Valley Creamery of Sequim, Washington, is voluntarily recalling their raw whole milk, raw skim milk, and raw cream, because it may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The same facility recalled the same products in April 2019 for the same pathogen. No illnesses have been reported to the creamery or to public health officials to date in connection with this problem.
The recall was initiated after routine sampling conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture found the toxin-producing E. coli bacteria in retail raw whole milk that is dated 06/05. Dungeness Valley Creamery is working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture to try to find the source of the pathogen.
The day’s raw whole milk, raw skim milk, and raw cream with best by dates of 6/05 through 6/14 ism recalled. The unpasteurized dairy products are bottled in gallon, half-gallon, quart, and pint continuers. It was sold to customers, including retail stores, in western Washington state.
If you purchased any of these products, do not consume it. Return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
It’s legal to sell and buy raw milk in Washington state, but “the potential health risks are serious,” according to the recall notice. Always read the warning label on retail raw milk containers carefully. And always ask your retailer to verify that the milk was produced and processed by a WSDA-license operation.
The symptoms of an E. coli infection include severe and painful stomach and abdominal cramps, along with diarrhea that is typically bloody or watery. Symptoms usually start a few days to a week after exposure to the pathogen. In some patients, especially those under the age of 5, this infection can cause the complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. Symptoms of HUS include little urine output, lethargy, easy bruising, and pale skin.
