Raw milk contaminated with E.coli bacteria has been found at 14 stores in Lancaster County and southcentral Pennsylvania and should be thrown away immediately, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture.
Milk sold between Aug. 5 to 12 by Leola-based Meadow View Jerseys has been found to be contaminated with the bacteria. The milk was sold in plastic gallon, quart, pint, and plastic and glass half-gallon jugs with a sell-by date of Aug. 19.
The farm’s store in Leola and retailers in Lancaster, Berks, Dauphin, and Lebanon counties sold the milk, according to the department. The farm has reached out to retailers who distributed the milk.
Meadow Valley Jersey alerted the Department of Agriculture of the contamination when a lab contracted by the farm for routine testing identified the presence of E. coli bacteria in raw milk samples. The Department of Agriculture confirmed the contamination through independent testing.
As of August 13, the Department of Agriculture has not been alerted to any patients experiencing symptoms of E. Coli exposure. The Department of Agriculture advises anyone experiencing symptoms to contact their physician.
Distributors include:
Lancaster County
Meadow View Jerseys Retail Farm Store, 172 South Farmersville Road, Leola, PA 17540
Bird in Hand Farm Supply, 2805 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA 17505
Ebenezer Groceries, 465 North Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
Everest Indian Grocery Store, 1621 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603
Forry’s Country Store, 820 Ivy Drive Lancaster, PA 17601
Hilltop Acres, 347 Rife Run Road, Manheim, PA 17545
Meck’s Produce, 1955 Beaver Valley Pike, Strasburg, PA 17579
Sensenig Poultry, 843 Furnace Hill Road, Lititz, PA 17543
The Country Store 3140, Mount Joy Road, Mount Joy PA 17552
Union Mill Acres, 7557 Elizabethtown, Road Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Willow Creek Grocery, 30 Willow Street, Reinholds, PA 17569
Berks County
Weaver Orchard, 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA 19543
Dauphin County
Soil & Soul Farm, 2405 Colebrook Road, Middletown, PA 17057
Lebanon County
Country View Grocery, 1941 Horseshoe Pike, Annville, PA 17003
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1998 through 2018, there were 202 outbreaks linked to drinking raw milk. These outbreaks caused 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations. CDC points out that most foodborne illnesses are not a part of recognized outbreaks, and for every illness reported, many others occur.
Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, and goats — or any other animal — that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs. Raw milk can carry dangerous germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning.”
These germs can seriously injure the health of anyone who drinks raw milk or eats products made from raw milk. However, the germs in raw milk can be especially dangerous to people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and diabetes), children, older adults, and pregnant women. In fact, CDC finds that foodborne illness from raw milk especially affects children and teenagers.
Symptoms of foodborne illness usually include:
While most healthy people will recover from an illness caused by harmful germs in raw milk – or in foods made with raw milk – within a short time, some can develop symptoms that are chronic, severe, or even life-threatening. If you or someone you know becomes ill after consuming raw milk or products made from raw milk – or if you are pregnant and think you may have consumed contaminated raw milk or cheese – see a healthcare professional immediately.
While pasteurization has helped provide safe, nutrient-rich milk and cheese for over 120 years, some people continue to believe that pasteurization harms milk and that raw milk is a safe, healthier alternative.
Here are some common myths and proven facts about milk and pasteurization:
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