Indiana is one of 20 states that does not permit the sale of raw milk, but it’s reconsidering. Earlier this year, the state Legislature passed a bill requiring the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) to study the subject and produce a report by December 1, 2012. Just weeks before that deadline, Purdue Extension has published a raw milk FAQ. When BOAH was tasked with producing a report for the Legislature about the legalization of raw milk, it put the question to Indiana residents who were invited to submit comments, ideas and suggestions for a three-month period ending September 1. Hundreds of people responded. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk, usually to 161 degrees for 15 seconds. It was developed as a way to … [Read more...]
Chamberlain Farms Is Indiana Cantaloupe Grower Linked To Salmonella Outbreak
Chamberlain Farms of Owensville, Indiana is the cantaloupe grower linked to the Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 178 people in 21 states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced. So far, 62 people have been hospitalized and two have died from Salmonella Typhimurium infections. State and federal investigators who are working together on the investigation of the outbreak, say that cantaloupe from the farm is a likely source of the outbreak but there may be others. Chamberlain has issued a recall of cantaloupes that were initially shipped to Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin and were then redistributed. Illnesses in the each of the 21 states are as follows: Alabama (13), Arkansas (3), California (2), Georgia (3), Illinois (21), … [Read more...]
Walmart, Schnucks, Other Chains Recall Cantaloupe
Several major grocery chains have recalled the cantaloupes associated with the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that has sickened 178 people in 21 states. So far, WalMart, Schnucks, Meijer, and Marsh have pulled the recalled cantaloupes from their shelves. Kroger has pulled cantaloupes recalled by Burch Farms for Listeria. The cantaloupes, produced and processed by Chamberlain Farm Produce Inc. of Owensville, Indiana, were shipped from June 21, 2012 to August 16, 2012. The farm started recalling the cantaloupes on August 17, 2012. The outbreak is likely to grow because of this long time frame. Cities that are affected by this outbreak include Lousiville, Lexington, and Owensboro, Kentucky; Chicago, Aurora, and Rockford, Illinois; Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and South Bend, Indiana; Kansas … [Read more...]
Wal-Mart Cantaloupe Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Two Children Who Contracted Salmonella Infections
Yesterday a lawsuit was filed against Wal-Mart on behalf of two children who are part of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to cantaloupe grown by Chamberlain Farms of Owensville, Indiana. According to the complaint, the two children got sick within days of eating cantaloupe purchased at Wal-Mart. One child was hospitalized for 4 days. "The victims of this outbreak deserve compensation for their illnesses," said Fred Pritzker, national Salmonella lawyer. Pritzker, who recently won $4.5 million for a food poisoning victim, urges victims and families to contact an attorney as soon as possible. "Filing a lawsuit in these cases sends a clear message to growers, distributors and retailers that food sold to consumers should be safe to eat. Parents should not have to worry that food … [Read more...]
Kentucky Lab Links Cantaloupes To Deadly Salmonella Outbreak
The Kentucky public health lab has established that Salmonella found in cantaloupes grown on a farm in southwestern Indiana matches the strain that has sickened 141 people in a 20 state outbreak that has hospitalized 31 people and killed two, according to the Kentucky Department of Public Health. "This finding is 'smoking gun' evidence that cantaloupe from the Indiana farm caused this outbreak," said Attorney Fred Pritzker, a national food safety lawyer who recently won $4.5 million for a client sickened in another outbreak. The Salmonella deaths occurred in Kentucky where at least 50 people have been sickened since the beginning of July. Public health officials are investigating whether other clusters of Salmonella food poisoning cases in the state might also be part of the … [Read more...]
Indiana Seeks Public Comment On Raw Milk
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) is seeking public comment on raw milk consumption and sales that will be compiled and submitted as a report to the the Governor and the Legislative Council. The sale of raw milk for human consumption is currently illegal in Indiana, but it is legal to sell raw milk for consumption by pets. In January, Senator John Waterman (R-Shelburn) added wording to a Senate bill that would have allowed small farms to sell raw milk sales for human consumption under the following conditions: The milk is sold on-farm. The farmer was registered with the state. The milk was in sanitary containers. A sign at the point of sale is posted saying; "Raw Milk products are sold here. Raw Milk products are not pasteurized." The raw milk or raw milk … [Read more...]
