A major outbreak of salmonella has been linked to raw milk produced by Raw Farm in California, affecting over 160 individuals across four states. The extent of the outbreak was recently revealed through newly released state records, despite earlier reports suggesting a smaller scale.A major outbreak of salmonella has been linked to raw milk produced by Raw Farm in California, affecting over 160 individuals across four states. The extent of the outbreak was recently revealed through newly released state records, despite earlier reports suggesting a smaller scale. Health officials warn against consuming unpasteurized milk due to the presence of bird flu virus in US dairy cattle, which has been detected in high levels in raw milk. The outbreak has raised concerns about the safety of raw milk consumption. According to the investigation, samples from sick individuals matched those collected from the farm and a retail store, with over 60% of infected individuals reporting consumption of Raw Farm products. Children under the age of 5 constituted nearly 40% of the cases, and four individuals were co-infected with campylobacter and/or E. coli bacteria. Despite a recall issued by Raw Farm in October, cases continued to mount, prompting additional investigation. Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm, acknowledges that his products were linked to the outbreak, but claims that the infection originated from a single cow that was later removed from the herd. One mother, Jessie McGee, plans to sue Raw Farm after her 6-year-old daughter was hospitalized with a confirmed infection. The family had initially consumed Raw Farm products due to perceived health benefits, but McGee now advises against unpasteurized milk consumption.
Dozens of salmonella illnesses have been linked to raw milk from a California farm, a far wider outbreak than previously known, according to newly released state records.
As of February, at least 165 people were sickened with salmonella infections tied to products from Raw Farm, of Fresno, California, according to the records. It is the largest reported salmonella outbreak linked to raw milk in the US in the past decade, according to health officials.
The outbreak’s size was disclosed as health officials warned the public to avoid unpasteurised milk due to a bird flu virus circulating in US dairy cows.
The bird flu, known as Type A H5N1, has been detected in more than 140 US dairy herds, and federal health officials say the virus has been detected in high levels in raw milk.
State and local health officials hadn’t updated the public about the full scope of the salmonella outbreak since October, when officials in San Diego reported about dozens of cases.
At the time, Raw Farm issued a voluntary recall of milk and heavy cream sold between Oct 11, and Nov 6.
Cases continued to mount, however, according to documents obtained by Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who shared the records with The Associated Press. Marler said he represents 16 clients allegedly sickened in the outbreak.
Investigators matched samples from sick people to samples from the farm and a retail store, the documents said. More than 60 per cent of the people with confirmed infections who were interviewed reported consuming Raw Farm products.
People from four states were infected, though the vast majority — 162 — were from California. Four of the people with salmonella were also infected with campylobacter and/or dangerous E. coli bacteria, the documents said.
Nearly 40 percent of illnesses were reported in children younger than 5, officials said. Twenty people were hospitalised. No deaths were reported.
California health officials said Wednesday that they had conducted a “robust” investigation in partnership with local teams and state agriculture officials and notified the public about the outbreak through the October recall notice and social media posts in October, November and December. The outbreak ended on May 4, officials said. It’s not clear whether more cases were reported after February.
Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm, acknowledged that his products were part of the outbreak. He said that a single cow was infected with salmonella last fall and later removed from the herd. He said he put additional testing protocols in place in response to the outbreak.
Jessie McGee, 35, of San Pedro, California, said she plans to sue Raw Farm because her 6-year-old daughter was hospitalized in October with a confirmed infection tied to the outbreak.
McGee said she had read about the supposed health benefits of raw milk online and started drinking Raw Farm products and feeding them to her daughter and her 2-year-old twins.
All three children and McGee fell ill, she said, but her older daughter’s symptoms of high fever and stomach cramps were most severe.
After the ordeal, McGee said she’ll no longer drink unpasteurized milk.
“None of the possible benefits you could possibly get from the milk is worth any of that,” she said.
