According to the Washington State Department of Health, Dungeness Valley raw milk and cream is being recalled because it may be contaminated with toxin-producing E. coli bacteria. The dairy, which is located in Sequim, Washington, is telling consumers to discontinue consumption of the retail Dungeness Valley raw milk and cream products with best by dates of 9/29/20 and 9/30/20 and dispose of them, or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. No other best by dates are affected at this time.
The products were sold in gallon, half-gallon, quart, and pint containers and were available in retail stores in western Washington state.
This advisory was initiated after routine sampling by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) found the pathogen in a sample of retail raw cream dated 09/29. Dungeness Valley Creamery and the WSDA are working together to address this problem.
When the creamery was notified of the CRO (cannot rule out), they submitted seven samples, which included 3 more samples of the suspect 9/29 cream, along with 10/5 cream, 10/6 cream, 9/30 milk, and 10/7 milk). All seven of those samples tested negative for E. coli.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) can cause serious illness. A complication of this infection includes hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. No known illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue.
Symptoms of an E. coli illness usually include a mild fever, vomiting, severe and painful abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that is usually bloody or watery. Symptoms of HUS include little urine output, lethargy, pale skin, and easy bruising. Anyone who is experiencing any of thee symptoms needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.
