The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture told consumers who bought Crystal Brook Farm raw goat milk or raw goat milk yogurt whey or cottage cheese to discard it immediately because these products may be contaminated with a “disease-causing strain” of E. coli bacteria; in other words, E. coli O157:H7. This warning pertains only to these products sold on or before October 13, 2020.
The Crystal Brook Farm raw goat milk was sold in two locations in Lancaster County. The first is Crystal Brook Farm Store at 3568 Scenic Road in Gordonville, and the Dutch Meadow Retail Store at 694 Country Lane in Paradise, Pennsylvania. The milk was sold in plastic half gallons. The milk, whey, and cottage cheese may have been further distributed to other retail locations by Dutch Meadows Distribution Center at 753 Country Lane in Paradise, Pennsylvania.
Public health officials ordered the farm to stop selling these products. With the exception of milk and 60-day aged cheese, raw milk products are not legal to sell in the state of Pennsylvania. Sales of the milk will not resume until two consecutive tests from samples drawn at least one day apart show that the raw milk produced at the dairy is free from disease-producing organisms. Department inspectors must also deem the facility in compliance with food safety regulations.
If you purchased any of these products, do not consume them. Throw them away after double bagging them in a secure garbage can. You can also take them back to the place of purchase for a full refund. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling these items.
If you did consume any of these products, monitor yourself for the symptoms of E. coli food poisoning. Those symptoms include a mild fever, severe and painful abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea that is usually bloody. In some people, especially young children, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may develop. Symptoms of HUS include little urine output, pale skin, lethargy, easy bruising, and bleeding from the nose or mouth. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor immediately.
