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recalled-raw-milk-cheese-Rememberance-Farm

The New York State Department of Agriculture warns consumers not to eat Connecticut Hill Melter raw milk cheese from Remembrance Farm because of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. 

The product is packaged in approximately 0.5-pound wedges wrapped in cheese wax paper named Connecticut Hill Melter and a batch number 042323. The consumer alert affects all packages with this code; however, any package with an unknown batch date should not be consumed.

This product was sold and distributed to Full Plate Farm Collective Community Supported Agriculture members in Ithaca. Remembrance Farm was recently closed by the New York Department of Agriculture because testing showed contamination of its raw milk.

At that time, Richard Ball, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets commissioner, warned against Nathaniel Thompson doing business as Remembrance Farm. The farm is in Trumansburg in Tompkins County.

An inspector collected a sample of the farm’s milk, and testing showed Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The producer was notified of the test result on Aug. 11. Additional tests on Aug. 15 further confirmed the contamination from Listeria monocytogenes.

“The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.,” according to a notice from the Department of Agriculture.

The public is warned not to consume raw milk from the farm and immediately dispose of it. Consumers who have the milk are asked to call the farm at 310-804-7240.

For the current warning, a sample of the implicated cheese collected by an inspector from the agriculture department was discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. On Sept. 15, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on Sept. 19, confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the cheese sample.

The Department recommends that any consumers who purchased this cheese immediately dispose of it and call Remembrance Farm at 310-804-7240.

Remembrance Farm is located on Searsburg Road, Trumansburg, in Tompkins County. 

According to the agriculture department, it is important to note that raw milk and products made from it do not protect pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a specific time. Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases, such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including listeriosis.

Raw Milk Warning

State health officials have linked eight cases of cryptosporidiosis and one case of E. coli O111:H8illness to raw milk from a farm in Hillman, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) urges anyone who may have recently purchased milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen to discard the product and not consume it. The milk may be labeled natural A2 milk, and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized.

The illnesses have been caused by Cryptosporidium parvum, a parasite commonly found in cattle. The cases have related subtypes of Cryptosporidium parvum, suggesting a common source. All people who became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms in early August reported purchasing or consuming raw milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen prior to the onset of their illness. Four of them are under the age of 10 and one has been hospitalized. One person was infected with Cryptosporidium parvum and E. coli O111:H8 at the same time. Being infected with multiple germs is not uncommon in raw milk outbreaks.

Raw or “natural” milk has not gone through the pasteurization process that heats the milk to a high temperature for a short period of time to kill harmful fecal germs that can contaminate raw milk. These germs can include Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella, and other viruses, bacteria, and parasites, leading to the possibility of getting multiple infections from raw milk. Pasteurization is the only effective method for eliminating germs in raw milk and does not significantly change milk’s nutritional value.

“Cattle can naturally carry Cryptosporidium and E. coli in their digestive system and shed these germs in their manure even though the animal is not sick. Contamination of the milk with manure can occur during the milking process, and if the milk is not pasteurized, the germs will not be killed,” said Carrie Klumb, senior epidemiologist in the Zoonotic Diseases Unit at MDH. “Consuming any unpasteurized milk, no matter how well the animals are cared for and how clean the operation is, puts people at risk for getting sick.”

People infected with Cryptosporidium generally develop watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, loss of appetite and weight loss approximately a week after consuming contaminated foods or touching infected animals. The illness typically lasts for two weeks but symptoms may go in cycles in which people seem to get better for a few days and then feel worse again before the illness ends.

Symptoms of E. coli infections typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea. People typically become ill two to five days after consuming contaminated food. In some cases, people may develop severe illness that leads to hospitalization. Children under the age of 5 years old, adults over the age of 65 years old and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk.

MDH is working to identify all people who may have purchased milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen to inform them of the risk to prevent additional illnesses. If you or someone you know has experienced gastrointestinal illness after consuming unpasteurized milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen, please fill out a confidential online survey or email health.zdu@state.mn.us. If you are currently sick, please reach out to your health care provider.

Six sick with Washingon with three dead. Two sick in Pennsylvania and New York. In the heat of the Summer you do not want your ice cream to kill you. Listeria is a very nasty pathogen.

The good thing about both practicing food law for a long time and having a foodborne epidemiologist on staff is that we have the history of these outbreaks at our fingertips.

YearStateAgentIllHospitalizedDiedBrand
2023WashingtonListeria 663Frugals
2023NY and PAListeria 220Real Kosher
2021-2022MultistateListeria 23221Big Olaf Creamery
2014WashingtonListeria 220Snoqualmie Ice Cream
2010-2015MultistateListeria 10103Blue Bell
2008VermontE. coli630Homemade Ice Cream, unpasteurized milk
2008MinnesotaSalmonella200Homemade ice cream
2008CaliforniaE. coli200Consumed at a restaurant; brand or pasteurization unknown
2007CaliforniaNorovirus1700Ice cream with berries, berries were likely the contaminated ingredient
2007PennsylvaniaCampylobacter300Homemade ice cream
2007MinnesotaHepatitis A1560Ice cream or yogurt at a restaurant
2007West VirginiaSalmonella820Homemade ice cream
2006BelgiumE. coli1250Ice cream at a farm
2006CaliforniaSalmonella600Homemade Ice Cream
2005MultistateSalmonella 26110Cold Stone Creamery (cake batter was the contaminated ingredient)
1994MultistateSalmonella 12––Schwan’s Ice Cream – the estimated # of ill cases is 224,000!
1993FloridaSalmonella 593––Homemade Ice Cream

Here is a sad result of another Listeria in ice cream case.

Mrs. Billman ate ice cream at the 3350 Bahia Vista in Sarasota, Florida location on January 2022, and died of a Listeria infection on January 29, 2022.  She left a husband, children and grandchildren.

Mrs. Billman fell ill on or around January 27, 2022, with symptoms consistent with Listeria. Mrs. Billman was admitted to Memorial Regional Hospital South on January 27, 2022, where a stool sample was collected that day and tested positive for Listeria serotype ST5.  Mrs. Billman ultimately passed away on January 29, 2022. Medical bills were $89,689.02.

Further testing of this specimen at the Florida Department of Health confirmed that her Listeria had the allele code LMO1.1 – 43.2.2.85.126.1 and was associated with the “multistate cluster” given the CDC code 2110MLGX6-4. This was ultimately the Listeria outbreak associated with Big Olaf’s ice cream. Ice cream was also closely genetically matched to Mrs. Billman’s isolate.

As of June 29, 2022, a total of 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 10 states. Of the 22 people with information, 20 sick people reported living in or traveling to Florida in the month before they got sick, although the significance of this is still under investigation. Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 24, 2021, through June 12, 2022.

The Florida Department of Health, CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several other states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections. As a result of this investigation, Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, FL, is voluntarily contacting retail locations to recommend against selling their ice cream products. Consumers who have Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream at home should throw away any remaining product.

Public health officials continue to interview people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the 17 people interviewed, 14 (82%) reported eating ice cream. Among 13 people who remembered details about the type of ice cream they ate, six reported eating Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that might have been supplied by Big Olaf Creamery.

On July 1, 2022, Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, FL, voluntarily began contacting retail locations to recommend against selling their ice cream products. Consumers who have Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream at home should throw away any remaining product.

Public health officials continue to interview people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the 17 people interviewed, 14 (82%) reported eating ice cream. Among 13 people who remembered details about the type of ice cream they ate, six reported eating Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that might have been supplied by Big Olaf Creamery.

Listeria has been found on equipment in the ice cream processing facility and in 16 of 17 flavors. Big Olaf first refused to recognize that it was the cause of the outbreak and refused to stop production and stop ice cream sales. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS):

“The results from product sampling taken from the Big Olaf production facility last week by FDACS found that 16 of the 17 flavors tested were positive for Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono). This includes Blueberry Cheesecake, Butter Pecan, Cherry Cordial, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Coconut, Coconut Almond Joy, Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream, Kahlua Krunch, Mint Chip, Pistachio, Plantation Praline, Superman, Vanilla, and White Chocolate Raspberry. With these results, FDACS is currently issuing formal stop sales on the 16 products where L. mono was found, which were previously part of a voluntary recall. Our department continues to work closely with our state and federal partners on this investigation and enforcement of the stop sale.”

Please find linked here the results for the product samples that represent the 16 positive flavors. The one outstanding environmental sample noted previously has also come back positive, bringing the total positive environmental samples to 10, and I’m linking here those results.

Listeria:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as lettuce, polony, deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

Frugals

Facts:

Illnesses between February 27 and July 22, 2023

Six with Listeriosis

Six Hospitalized

Three Deaths

Five from Pierce County and 1 from Thurston County

According to the Washington State Department of Health, six Washington residents (five from Pierce County and one from Thurston County) developed severe illness due to infection with Listeria bacteria (listeriosis). Three of the individuals died. Genetic fingerprinting (whole genome sequencing) of the bacteria indicated that the same food was likely responsible for making all six people sick.

Two of the people infected with listeriosis reported consuming milkshakes from Frugals restaurant at 10727 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma, WA, 98444 prior to becoming sick. Because milkshakes and ice cream have caused listeria outbreaks in the past, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department collected milkshake samples from the restaurant on August 8, 2023. On August 18, 2023, all flavors of the milkshakes were found to be contaminated with the same strain of Listeria that caused the outbreak.

The restaurant discontinued use of its two milkshake machines on August 8. The milkshake machines will be kept out of service until the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department determines they are free of Listeria contamination and no longer pose a danger to the public.

Listeria:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as lettuce, polony, deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

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The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is investigating a cluster of five illnesses caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhimurium among children from the Twin Cities metro. The families of two children reported that they consumed unpasteurized milk. Information could not be obtained from the remaining families, but the bacteria from the cases were found to be identical through laboratory analysis. This indicates the infections came from the same source. 

The cases include children ranging in age from 3 months to 10 years who became ill between the end of June and early July. One child was hospitalized.  

Unpasteurized milk, also known as raw milk, is milk that has not been heated to a temperature high enough to kill harmful germs from fecal contamination sometimes found in the milk. These germs can include Campylobacter, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Salmonella. One child in this cluster of cases was infected with two types of pathogenic E. coli in addition to Salmonella, emphasizing the possibility of getting multiple infections from raw milk. 

“Even healthy animals can carry these germs and have them in their milk,” said Maria Bye, senior epidemiologist in the Zoonotic Diseases Unit at MDH. “Consuming any unpasteurized milk is risky, no matter how clean the operation from which it is purchased.” 

People infected with Salmonella Typhimurium can develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps from 6 hours to several days after consuming contaminated foods or touching infected animals. The illness typically lasts from four to  seven days. In some instances, people may get so sick that they may need to be hospitalized. Children under age 5, adults over age 65 and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for severe illness and hospitalization. 

MDH is working to identify the source of the unpasteurized milk causing these Salmonella infections and prevent additional illnesses.  

“If you have raw or unpasteurized milk in your refrigerator, please do not consume it,” Bye said, “If you have developed gastrointestinal illness after consuming unpasteurized milk, contact your health care provider.” 

To help prevent more people from getting sick, MDH is asking anyone with information about gastrointestinal illnesses shortly after consuming unpasteurized milk at the end of June or beginning of July to fill out a confidential online survey or email health.foodill@state.mn.us. 

Campylobacter1

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture warns that consumers should immediately discard raw goat milk sold from Dove Song Dairy due to possible contamination with Campylobacter. Three persons who consumed this product and became ill with campylobacteriosis were reported by the Department of Health. Raw milk samples tested by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are presumptively positive for Campylobacter.  

Dove Song Dairy raw goat milk was sold in plastic containers of various sizes (gallon, ½ gallon, quart, and pint) at the following locations:

Berks County:

Dove Song Dairy, 108 Seigfried Rd, Bernville

Multiple locations of Kimberton Whole Foods

Local Leaf Market, 3071 W Philadelphia Ave, Oley

Chester County:

Multiple locations of Kimberton Whole Foods

Lancaster County:

Shady Maple Farm Market, 1324 E Main St, East Earl

Nickle Mine Health Foods, 2123 Mine Rd, Paradise

Lehigh County:

Healthy Alternatives Food, 7150 Hamilton Blvd, Trexlertown 

Schuylkill County:

Healthy Habits Natural Market, 1120 Center Turnpike, Orwigsburg  

All sell-by dates of raw goat milk from Dove Song Dairy should be discarded.  

Anyone who consumed the raw goat milk should consult their physician if they become ill.

Following potential exposure to bacteria from unpasteurized milk sold at a farmers’ market in Missoula County, the Missoula City-County Health Department is warning residents of the dangers of consuming unpasteurized, or “raw,” milk. 

Milk that was recently sold at a local farmers market came from a herd where two cows tested positive for Coxiella burnetii, which is the bacteria that causes Q fever. While one of those cows had not yet produced milk, the other produced about 10% of the farmer’s yield. 

“We don’t know if the cow was shedding the bacteria at the time it was milked, or if that cow’s milk was sold at the farmers market,” said Environmental Health Director Shannon Therriault. “So, we can’t say for sure whether anyone was exposed. However, what we do know is that unpasteurized milk can contain harmful bacteria that can make you and your loved ones sick.”

Unpasteurized milk products have been linked to outbreaks of E. coli, campylobacter, salmonella, brucella, listeria and cryptosporidium. In the case of Q fever, symptoms can take two or three weeks to present following exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of Q fever include fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, stomach pain, weight loss and a non-productive cough. 

“While drinking ‘raw’ milk has become more widespread in recent years, we want people to know that it can easily be contaminated with harmful bacteria, even when the milking operation is well-run,” Therriault said. 

In the 1980s, Missoula experienced a large salmonella outbreak caused by unpasteurized milk from a local dairy. More than 100 cases were linked to the outbreak, and half of those cases were children 14 and younger. The strain of salmonella was multi-drug resistant, and 15% of those who got sick were hospitalized. An inspection of the dairy revealed no sanitation laws or practices on the books at that time were broken. 

After that outbreak, Montana passed a law that all milk sold to consumers had to be pasteurized. The CDC reports that when milk pasteurization requirements began in the early 1990s, deaths and diarrheal illnesses in young children declined dramatically. In 2021, the legislature reversed course, and unpasteurized milk sales are now allowed in Montana under certain, limited conditions. Unpasteurized milk can be sold at a farm, farmers markets and other traditional community events, if the herd is five lactating cows or fewer, and the seller informs the end consumer that the product is not licensed, certified, packaged, labeled or inspected under any official regulations. 

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The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture warns that consumers should immediately discard “A Joy” brand raw milk products sold in Susquehanna County. Tests following a report of potential bacteria contamination confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes bacteria in half gallon and gallon plastic jugs at the A Joy Farm store at 21 Lalor Lane in Little Meadows, Susquehanna County.

The tainted raw milk may be unlabeled and undated, or may bear the A Joy label and A2 or “A2/A2” product description. The producer refused to issue a recall, post a notice, or supply a customer list for direct notification.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an illness which has symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and adults with impaired immune systems. Listeriosis in pregnant women can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn, or stillbirth. 

No reported illnesses have been attributed to the product, but people who consumed the milk should consult their physicians if they become ill. 

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball today warned consumers not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from the farm of Eric and Jessica Nickol due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.  The Eric and Jessica Nickol Farm is located at 995 County Highway 35, Maryland, NY 12116 in Otsego County. To date, no illnesses have been reported to the Department associated with this product.

A sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. On November 9, 2022, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on November 14, 2022, confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the raw milk sample. The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.

The Department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from the farm of Eric and Jessica Nickol immediately dispose of it and call the farm at 607-386-3951.

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, which can be a serious and sometimes fatal infection in young children, cancer patients, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause short-term, flu-like symptoms, such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time. Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including listeriosis.

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Consumers should immediately discard raw whole milk or chocolate milk sold in Dauphin County and other southcentral Pennsylvania retail stores under the BeiHollow label between October 12 and 21. BeiHollow pasteurized cheese melt and cup cheese sold between September 20 and October 21 should also be discarded due to possible contamination. Tests following a report of potential listeria contamination confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Raw whole and chocolate milk was sold in plastic half- and three-quarter gallons at BeiHollow Farm stores in Elizabethville and Lykens, Dauphin County. Cheese melt and cup cheeses of various sizes were sold in the same stores. The producer would not supply a list of other locations where the products were sold.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an illness which has symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and adults with impaired immune systems. Listeriosis in pregnant women can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn, or stillbirth. 

No reported illnesses have been attributed to the product, but people who consumed the milk should consult their physicians if they become ill. No reported illnesses have been attributed to the product, but people who consumed the milk should consult their physicians if they become ill.