A Campylobacter and E. coli raw milk outbreak has sickened at least 21 in the Northwest/Central Florida region, according to the Florida Department of Health. It is illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption in that state; it can only be sold for non-human consumption as pet or animal food. This limits regulation efforts of sanitary practices. Containers or raw milk must have a label that plainly states this milk is for animal consumption only. The provider of the milk, or the farm, was not named in the notice. Because of the recent cases of Campylobacter and Shiga-toxin production E. coli (STEC) infections linked to a "particular farm," the Florida Department of Health is providing this information. Sanitation practices on the farm are of particular concern because of the … [Read more...]
Family Cow Raw Milk May Have Caused Salmonella Illnesses
Family Cow raw milk and raw milk cheeses may have caused Salmonella illnesses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and news reports. Officials are warning consumers to discard raw milk and raw milk cheeses produced by that dairy. The dairy is located at 3854 Olde Scotland Road in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A recent spike in Salmonella illness reports prompted officials to look at the dairy. They found that a "substantial number" of 70 recent Salmonella patients said they ate Family Cow's products before getting sick. Samples of the Family Cow's products tested positive for Salmonella. The raw milk was packaged in pint, half gallon, and gallon containers. The raw milk cheeses sold in blocks include Cheddar, yellow Cheddar, garlic and chives Cheddar, Colby, … [Read more...]
Byers Organic Dairy Raw Milk Contaminated With E. coli
Byers Organic Dairy raw milk is being recalled since it may be contaminated with with Shiga toxin-proving E. coli (STEC) bacteria, according to Officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Franklin County health officials. During routine samples, officials found the contamination. No illnesses have been reported to the dairy or to public health officials in connection with the consumption of this product. STEC bacteria produce Shiga toxins, which can travel to the bloodstream and cause damage to the kidneys. This condition is called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and is a leading cause of kidney failure in children. The recalled milk was sold between July 8 and July 10, 2025, with expiration dates of July 22 and July 23, 2025. The milk was sold in plastic … [Read more...]
Meadow View Jerseys Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak
A Meadow View Jerseys raw milk Campylobacter outbreak has sickened an unknown number of consumers, according to news reports. That dairy is located at 172 South Farmersville Road in Leola, Pennsylvania. The milk is being recalled. There is no information about this recall and outbreak on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture web site, but the public was informed via a press release. And there is no information about where this milk was sold, but last year the same farm recalled raw milk for Campylobacter contamination and listed where the milk was sold. This information may or may not be current. We don't know how many people are sickened, if anyone has been hospitalized, patient illness onset dates, or the age range. Any Meadow View Jerseys raw milk purchased since April … [Read more...]
Brookvale Pines Raw Milk Recalled For Listeria Monocytogenes
Brookvale Pines Raw Milk is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). A cow on the farm was diagnosed with a Listeria infection. The notice did not state whether or not any illness have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this unpasteurized milk. The milk was sold in half gallon containers at the Brookvale Mercantile that is located in Brentwood, New Hampshire. The raw milk has "best by" dates through March 22, 2025. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food tested the cow and notified DHHS about the illness. Iain Watt, Director of the DHHS Division of Public Health Services (DPHS), said in a statement, "Raw milk is milk that has not … [Read more...]
Willow Marsh Farm Raw Milk Recalled For Listeria Again
Willow Marsh Farm raw milk is being recalled again for possible Listeria contamination, according to a press release from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The earlier recall, also for Listeria contamination, was issued in early February 2025. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of this product. The firm is located at 343 Hop City Road in Ballston Spa, New York in Saratoga County. A sample of the milk that was collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. On February 27, 2025, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further testing, completed on March 4, 2025, confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the raw … [Read more...]
US PIRG: Hospitalizations and Deaths From Food Doubled in 2024
A new report from U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) found that hospitalizations and deaths from food doubled in 2024. The report, titled Food For Thought 2025, states that hospitalizations and deaths were the highest last year in five years. Food contaminated with Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli increased by 41%. and 98% of all illnesses were linked to just 13 outbreaks. There were 241 FDA recalls in 2024, and 55 USDA recalls. The FDA number is and increase of 8% over 2023, while the USDA number is a 38% decline. Most of the recalls were from undeclared allergens. Recalls for Listeria contamination were next, followed by Salmonella recalls. But the recall numbers only tell half the story. Almost 1400 people got sick from food poisoning in 2024. Twelve … [Read more...]
Minnesota Starts Testing Raw Cow Milk for H5N1 Bird Flu
Minnesota is starting to test raw cow milk for H5N1 bird flu, according to a press release from the Minnesota Department of of Agriculture (MDA). The testing will start beginning the week of February 24, 2025. This is intended to identify where the virus is present, to monitor trends, and prevent its spread to dairy herds and poultry flocks around the state. MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen said in a statement, "H5N1 is an emerging disease in dairy cattle, and conducting disease surveillance supports the state’s ability to effectively respond to outbreaks and limit the potential impact on the livestock and poultry industries, as well as on public health." The notice stated that there are no concerns about the safety of the public milk supply, since all milk sold in stores to the … [Read more...]
Willow Marsh Farm Raw Milk Recalled For Listeria in New York
Willow Marsh Farm raw milk is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination in New York, according to an email sent by the New York State department of Agriculture and Markets. No illnesses have been reported to the firm to date in connection with the consumption of this unpasteurized milk. The farm is located at 343 Hop City Road, Ballston Spa in Saratoga County. A sample of the milk that ws collected by an inspector from the Department was found to be contaminated with the pathogen. On January 30, 2025, the farm was notified of a preliminary positive test result. More testing that was completed on February 4, 2025 confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the raw milk sample. The producer now cannot sell raw milk until more sampling indicates that the … [Read more...]
Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2024
These are the top 10 food poisoning outbreaks of 2024, in reverse order. There were quite a few outbreaks last year, with many illnesses and a few deaths. These are the top 10, in reverse order, with an addendum of five more outbreaks of interest. Addendum: Five Notable Outbreaks Five outbreaks that were important were added in an addendum this year. They were the Grimmway Farms carrot E. coli O121:H9 outbreak, the Infinite Herbs Salmonella outbreak, the deadly Rico Lopez soft cheese Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, the deadly Yu Shang Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, and the Gibson Farms walnuts E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Number 10: Boar's Head The 10th outbreak of 2024 was the deadly Boar's Heat deli meat Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that sickened at least 61 people in … [Read more...]
