Organic Pastures Raw Milk Recall Due to E. coli and HUS Outbreak in Contra Costa, Kings, Sacramento and San Diego Counties
Raw milk is the source of another E. coli outbreak. This time it is raw milk products produced by Organic Pastures of Fresno County, California. Five children have been sickened, three of them developed a complication of an E. coli infection called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney failure, stroke, heart attack, blindness and other serious health problems. These children are residents of Contra Costa, Kings, Sacramento, and San Diego counties.
According to Fred Pritzker, a food safety advocate as well as an attorney, consumers are not adequately warned about the risks associated with raw milk:
“One of the troubling issues about the sale of raw milk is that consumers are not adequately warned about the risks. I represent people sickened by raw milk contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and other dangerous pathogens. Raw milk can cause kidney failure, paralysis and death. I know because I have stood by the bedsides of people who innocently drank raw milk and ended up hooked up to life support fighting for their lives.”
Fred Pritzker and his team of E. coli lawyers are available to families for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against Organic Pastures for payment of medical bills and compensation for lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages.
Organic Pastures Raw Milk Recall and Quarantine
In response to this outbreak, California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford announced a statewide recall and quarantine order. Under the recall, all Organic Pastures raw dairy products with the exception of cheese aged a minimum of 60 days are to be pulled immediately from retail shelves and consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any products remaining in their refrigerators. Until further notice, Organic Pastures may not produce raw milk products for the retail market. The order also affects Organic Pastures raw butter, raw cream, raw colostrum, and a raw product labeled “Qephor.”
Epidemiological Evidence Implicating Organic Pastures Raw Milk
While laboratory samples of Organic Pastures raw milk have not detected E. coli 0157:H7 contamination, epidemiologic data collected by the California Department of Public Health link the illnesses with Organic Pastures raw milk. Interviews with the families indicate that the only common reported food exposure is unpasteurized (raw) milk from Organic Pastures dairy. Surveys indicate that only about three percent of the public report drinking raw milk in any given week so finding 100% of these children drank raw milk and the absence of other common foods or animal exposures indicates the Organic Pastures raw milk is the likely source of their infection.
What is Raw Milk?
The great majority of milk consumed in California is pasteurized. Raw milk is not pasteurized. Pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria. In California, state law requires that raw milk and raw milk products shall bear the following warning on the label: “Warning – raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk dairy products may contain disease-causing micro-organisms. Persons at highest risk of disease from these organisms include newborns and infants; the elderly; pregnant women; those taking corticosteroids, antibiotics or antacids; and those having chronic illnesses or other conditions that weaken their immunity.”
What is E. coli O157:H7?
Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection may include abdominal cramps and diarrhea which is often bloody. Most infected people recover within a week; however, some may develop complications that require hospitalization. Young children and the elderly are at highest risk for a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which includes kidney failure. People who develop symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection after consuming unpasteurized milk or milk products should consult their health care provider. Physicians who have patients suspected of having HUS or E. coli O157:H7 infections should report them to the local health department.
