Children paraded in support of raw milk
Shameless exploitation of children? Sure, why not. As Henry Fonda said in the movie, On Golden Pond, “What use is it having dwarfs around if they don’t do chores.” (Those are my daughters, eating genetially engineered sweet corn and drinking pasteurized ciider, circa 2000.
.jpg)
But why do some have to be so sanctimonious about it?
This is from Wise Traditions: The Weston A. Price Foundation 10th Annual Conference, that happened last weekend with a greatest hits of raw milk promoters and bullshiters. And, like the line-dancing instructor shouting out fascist routines, these kids are being paraded and chanting, “we want raw milk.” An updated table of raw milk outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/raw-milk-outbreaks.
Raw milk: save the family farm while making kids barf?
The N.Y. Times has a story running in tomorrow’s edition flaunting the value of raw milk as a way to save the family farm because a small percentage of people pay a hefty premium for the raw stuff.
.jpeg)
The story lacks any mention of adverse health effects from raw milk , other than quoting an FDA type as saying, “raw milk should not be consumed by anyone, at any time, for any reason.”
Such proclamations are not particularly persuasive.
The story, like many others, notes that people want to know where their food comes from; but that doesn’t make food safer. Knowing how to control and minimize the spread of dangerous microorganisms makes food safer, whether it’s from around the corner or around the globe.
The Times story does however make mention of the Quebec listeria outbreak of 2008 that was traced to cheese made from unpasteurized milk, stating that “one person died; more than 30 became ill,” and proclaiming that the government went crazy recalling nearly 60,000 pounds, of cheese from hundreds of producers.
The Times story appears to be something about government out-of-control, although it’s a mish-mash. And it fails to mention that the 2008 Quebec outbreak, led to 38 hospitalizations, of which 13 were pregnant and gave birth prematurely. Two adults died and there were 13 perinatal deaths. Recent research has demonstrated listeria can cause illness in fetuses and infants at much lower doses than previously thought.
An updated table of unpastuerized milk and cheese outbreaks is below.
Natural does not mean safe: Kansas locals still pushing unpasteurized cider
Oh, unpasteurized apple cider, when will you stop providing food safety moments?
It was 13 years ago last night that U.S. health investigators figured out that unpasteurized juice with apple cider as a base was making people sick with E. coli O157:H7 in the Pacific Northwest region.
.jpg)
On Friday, Amy made a stop at a local plant and produce shop to pick up a pumpkin.
Amy writes:
The woman behind the counter quipped, “It looks like you already have a little pumpkin” motioning towards Sorenne who was hanging off my hip.
As I was paying the woman asked me, “Did you get a chance to have a swig of our apple cider?”
There was a tray with about 10 dixie cups full of cider on the counter. I had looked at them with interest while waiting to pay. I used to love apple cider but Doug has taught me to be skeptical. I asked without thinking, “Is the juice pasteurized?”
The woman looked at me as if to say, of course not, but she said, “No, but there is a preservative in it,” sort of apologetically for the preservative not being natural.
“No thanks then, and especially not for my daughter.” “Oh no!” she replied. “I didn’t mean for her but for you.” I left it at that. I was in a hurry, the woman was helping me to the car with the pumpkin, and maybe she just didn’t know better.
In my mind I was screaming, “Lady, I don’t want to die from your juice either.” I called Doug to thank him for teaching me about food safety. Four years ago I would have unthinkingly and gladly drank the cider. And if I had a child, I would have also offered it to her, not knowing about E. coli or even questioning whether someone in a store would serve me unsafe food.
From the cider files:
In October, 1996, 16-month-old Anna Gimmestad of Denver drank Smoothie juice manufactured by Odwalla Inc. of Half Moon Bay, Calif. She died several weeks later; 64 others became ill in several western U.S. states and British Columbia after drinking the same juices, which contained unpasteurized apple cider --and E. coli O157:H7. Investigators believe that some of the apples used to make the cider may have been insufficiently washed after falling to the ground and coming into contact with deer feces.
In the fall of 1998, I accompanied one of my four daughters on a kindergarten trip to the farm. After petting the animals and touring the crops --I questioned the fresh manure on the strawberries --we were assured that all the food produced was natural. We then returned for unpasteurized apple cider. The host served the cider in a coffee urn, heated, so my concern about it being unpasteurized was abated. I asked: "Did you serve the cider heated because you heard about other outbreaks and were concerned about liability?" She responded, "No. The stuff starts to smell when it's a few weeks old and heating removes the smell."
Here's the abstract from a paper Amber Luedtke and I published back in 2002:
A review of North American apple cider outbreaks caused by E. coli O157:H7 demonstrated that in the U.S., government officials, cider producers, interest groups and the public were actively involved in reforming and reducing the risk associated with unpasteurized apple cider. In Canada, media coverage was limited and government agencies inadequately managed and communicated relevant updates or new documents to the industry and the public.
Therefore, a survey was conducted with fifteen apple cider producers in Ontario, Canada, to gain a better understanding of production practices and information sources. Small, seasonal operations in Ontario produce approximately 20,000 litres of cider per year. Improper processing procedures were employed by some operators, including the use of unwashed apples and not using sanitizers or labeling products accurately.
Most did not pasteurize or have additional safety measures. Larger cider producers ran year-long, with some producing in excess of 500,000 litres of cider. Most sold to large retail stores and have implemented safety measures such as HACCP plans, cider testing and pasteurization. All producers surveyed received government information on an irregular basis, and the motivation to ensure safe, high-quality apple cider was influenced by financial stability along with consumer and market demand, rather than by government enforcement.
Nose stretcher alert: Whole Foods explains why it stopped selling raw milk in Florida
Whole Foods Market has terrible food safety advice, blames consumers for getting sick, sells raw milk in some stores, offers up fairytales about organic and natural foods, and their own CEO says they sell a bunch of junk.
Whole Foods in Florida has officially dropped raw milk from its shelves. Until Thursday, Whole Foods market sold raw milk with a pet food label. Human drinkers bought it for their personal consumption.
During an interview published yesterday by the Miami New Times, Russ Benblatt, Whole Foods regional marketing director for Florida, said,
“This was a decision that was made here at the regional level. I can't get into too many details, but it was purely a business decision to stop selling the raw milk, and I can't get into the specifics of it. … We made a decision to stop selling it as a pet food. We've never sold it for human consumption. … We're a grocery store we try not to get involved in politics. … If we're involved in politics then I'm not aware of it. We're not involved in any lobbying or political action committees in the state of Florida.”
(1)(1)(1).jpg)
Just a grocery store. Uh-huh. There isn’t a foodie cause Whole Foods wouldn’t embrace to peddle a few more dollars worth of crap.
25 people sick with Salmonella Muenster from unpasteurized goat cheese, France, March 2008
Eurosurveillance reports today on a March 2008 outbreak of Salmonella Muenster in 25 laboratory confirmed cases in France.
Four patients were admitted to hospital. … S. Muenster was isolated from both cases and the incriminated goat's cheese. …
The place of purchase of the goat's cheese was known for 10 cases: Seven cases had purchased unpasteurised goat's cheese at an agriculture exhibition that was held in Paris from 23 February until 2 March, and three cases had purchased this type of cheese at a local market in south-eastern France…. During the same period, a household cluster of salmonellosis involving three cases was reported through the mandatory notification system. The investigation of this cluster incriminated unpasteurised goat's cheese (consumed on 8 February 2008) as the source of infection. The isolates of these cases were later shown to be positive for S. Muenster.
Raw milk sickens 11
A Colorado dairy has been shut down after 11 people were sickened by campylobacter, believed to be associated with the consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk, reports The Denver Post.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has shut down the Kinikin Corner Dairy LLC after 11 people were sickened by campylobacter, a common food-borne bacteria. State authorities say at least 10 people who have gotten sick since March 10 reported drinking raw milk, eight of them getting milk from Kinikin…The dairy has been ordered to stop raw-milk distribution until further notice.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available here, and an op-ed Doug and Brae wrote, here.
Raw milk: 'media coverage far beyond its importance'
Here’s the most important point in a column written by long-time Toronto Globe and Mail medical reporter Andre Picard:
The trial of Ontario raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt has garnered media coverage far beyond its importance.
Oh, and the outcome is largely irrelevant.
It seems somewhat absurd to jail a man for selling a product that clients desperately want and which, on the surface at least, seems harmless. But, hey, it happens to pot dealers every day.
What is not harmless is Mr. Schmidt's attack on pasteurization and on food-safety regulations more generally.
Under the guise of civil liberties and freedom, he and his supporters have uttered all kinds of nonsense and portrayed themselves as martyrs for pure food. …
Farmer Schmidt and his acolytes can suckle the milk from the teat of a cow, a goat, a cat, or any other lactating mammal to their hearts' content.
Their rights and freedoms are in no way compromised.
What the law restricts is the commercial sale of raw milk.
Mr. Schmidt tried to circumvent this fact by selling "cow shares" and arguing that his clients were actually proprietors and free to consume raw milk from their own cows.
Whether that little manoeuvre exempts him from the law is up to the courts to decide. But it seems unlikely. After all, bar owners tried this technique to sidestep anti-smoking laws, selling "shares" in their establishment and arguing that patrons were smoking in a private club. Judges saw through the subterfuge. …
Another argument is that meat - which can also contain pathogens - is sold raw, so why not milk? The practical reason for this is obvious. It is easy and efficient to pasteurize milk; it is not practical to cook meat before selling it, but its refrigeration (designed to minimize the growth of bacteria) is mandatory and regulated.
6 cases of campylobacter linked to raw milk in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is warning consumers who purchased raw milk from Dean Farms in New Castle, Lawrence County, doing business as Pasture Maid Creamery, LLC, to immediately discard the raw milk due to potential bacterial contamination.
.jpg)
Recently, individuals who consumed raw milk purchased from Dean Farms were found to have gastrointestinal illness due to Campylobacter, a bacterial infection. Since January 23, a total of six confirmed cases of Campylobacter infection have been reported among raw milk drinkers in four unrelated households in western Pennsylvania. The investigation is ongoing.
The Department of Health today recommended the owner stop selling raw milk for human consumption, and the owner has agreed to stop selling at this time. In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, the dairy is providing raw milk samples to be tested for bacterial pathogens.
Raw milk is really boring - except for the kids who barf
I try and take baby Sorenne and the dogs out every day for a three-mile walk. The dogs get to run off-leash on the trail, and I get to work on burning off that baby weight.
.jpg)
Sorenne usually conks out after 15 minutes of walking, and then I catch up on phone calls. It’s my kind of multi-tasking.
A reporter called a few days ago while out on one of these walks. She asked me about raw milk, I said I don’t care, it gets far too much attention and that public health folks have better things to do.
I also told her I had baby brain and was having trouble articulating. There’s a reason people have kids when they’re young -- like I did with the other four – and not when they’re 46. Ah but it’s fun (see the video clip below – and I do compost).
The Canwest News Service story reporting that interview showed up tonight, and has the usual raw milk stuff, with me saying it is difficult to change the minds of people who hold "hocus-pocus scientific theories about the nutrient benefits of raw milk."
Amy laughed at that.
"From a public health point of view, it's a no brainer, don't drink it," Powell said. "From a consumer point of view, why not make raw sprouts illegal because there is the risk of Salmonella or E. coli?"
Powell said he doesn't take issue with adults choosing to drinking raw milk, but it's usually children who get sick because of their parents dietary choices.
What I would have added is that with sprouts and other foods, there’s no simple control like there is with raw milk – pasteurization.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/1138/Raw_Milk_Outbreak_Table.pdf
And here’s an op-ed Brae and I wrote a couple of years ago that predated barfblog.com. But the video at the end is far more interesting.
About Choice
Michael Schmidt, Ontario’s raw milk lord along with his evangelical disciples, maintain that their crusade is about choice.
Choice is a Good Thing.
But the 19th century English utilitarian philosopher, John Stuart Mill, noted that absolute choice has limits, stating, "if it [in this case the consumption of raw unpasteurized milk] only directly affects the person undertaking the action, then society has no right to intervene, even if it feels the actor is harming himself."
Excused from Mill’s libertarian principle are those people who are incapable of self-government – children.
.jpg)
In September, two children who drank raw milk from a Whatcom County dairy in Washington State became ill with E. coli O157:H7. At the same time, four children, including two eight-year-olds in San Diego County, Calif., were hospitalized with E. coli infection after consuming raw milk products.
In December 2005, 18 people in Washington and Oregon, including six children, were infected with E. coli O157:H7 after drinking an unlicensed dairy's raw milk.
Two of the kids almost died.
In April 2005, four cases of E. coli linked to unpasteurized milk were reported to Ontario health officials -- in this case, from an individual who routinely sold raw milk from the back of a vehicle parked in the city of Barrie. Dozens of other outbreaks are listed at: http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Ontario finance minister Greg Sorbara can obliviously insist that "raw milk is safely distributed in parts of the United States and Europe" but politicians are expected to spin facts.
So are lobbyists. Thus it was that the Toronto contact for an organization strongly advocating raw milk successfully passed himself off in the National Post this morning as a food safety researcher.
Schmidt, celebrity chefs and the wannabe fashionable can devoutly state that grass fed cattle is safer than grain-fed by spinning select scientific data, except cattle raised on diets of grass, hay and other fibrous forage do contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their feces as well as salmonella, campylobacter and others.
Poop happens, especially in a barn, and when it does people, usually kids, will get sick. That's why drinking water is chlorinated and milk is pasteurized.
From Kansas, this looks like an awfully familiar clash of science and faith. But it's not so simple as natural is good, and science -- in this case pasteurization -- is bad. Science can be used to enhance what nature provided; further, society has a responsibility to the many -- philosopher Mill also articulated how the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one -- to use knowledge to minimize harm.
There are lots of other foods that make people sick. On the one-year anniversary of the Ontario salmonella-in-sprouts outbreak that sickened 650 people, raw sprouts are widely available and no one seems to notice. After being banned for three weeks, raw mung bean sprouts were back on grocery store shelves and being placed ever so gingerly on gourmet, supposedly healthy sandwiches.
This fall, it was spinach, lettuce and tomatoes sickening hundreds across North America. So why aren't Ontario government-types, who treat an outwardly eco-friendly and holistic health product like raw milk as a major biohazard, setting their sights on fresh produce?
Part of the answer is that the risks associated with fresh produce have only been recognized in the past decade; the risks associated with raw milk have been recognized for over a century. Further, unlike fresh produce, there is a relatively simple and benign solution for producing safe milk: pasteurization.
And perhaps that is why health officials are adamant that a ban stay in place: there simply isn't the resources to manage all the microbial food safety outbreaks that strike down 11-13 million Canadians each year, let alone someone proselytizing the virtues of raw milk while flaunting the law.
The only things lacking in pasteurized milk are the bacteria that make people - especially kids - seriously ill. Adults, do whatever you think works to ensure a natural and healthy lifestyle, but please don't impose your dietary regimes on those incapable of protecting themselves … your kids.
67 sick from raw milk cheese in Kansas
For all the fawning media coverage and energy expended, I figured there would be millions of Americans drinking raw milk.
A story in the Dayton Daily News pegs the number at 500,000.
That’s nothing when it comes to food dollars. And there are reasons why the numbers are so low. As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report today,
“On October 26, 2007, a family health clinic nurse informed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) that Campylobacter jejuni had been isolated from two ill persons from different families who were members of a closed community in a rural Kansas county. By October 29, 17 additional members of the community had reported gastrointestinal illness and visited the clinic within a week. All 19 persons reported consuming fresh cheese on October 20 that was made the same day at a community fair from unpasteurized milk obtained from a local dairy.
"This report summarizes the findings of an investigation by KDHE and the local health department to determine the source and extent of the outbreak. Eating fresh cheese at the fair was the only exposure associated with illness (relative risk [RR] = 13.9). Of 101 persons who ate the cheese, 67 (66%) became ill. C. jejuni isolates from two ill persons had indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, and the isolate from a third ill person was nearly identical to the other two. Although all samples of cheese tested negative for Campylobacter, results of the epidemiologic investigation found an association between illness and consumption of fresh cheese made from unpasteurized milk. To minimize the risk for illness associated with milkborne pathogens, unpasteurized milk and milk products should not be consumed."
Unpasteurized milk poses health risks without benefits
With disease outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk rising in the United States, a review published in the January 1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases examines the dangers of drinking raw milk.
.jpg)
Milk and dairy products are cornerstones of a healthy diet. However, if those products are consumed unpasteurized, they can present a serious health hazard because of possible contamination with pathogenic bacteria. An average of 5.2 outbreaks per year linked to raw milk have occurred in the United States between 1993 and 2006—more than double the rate in the previous 19 years, according to co-authors Jeffrey T. LeJeune and Päivi J. Rajala-Schultz of the College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. …
Raw milk advocates claim that unpasteurized milk cures or prevents disease, but no scientific evidence supports this notion. Testing raw milk, which has been suggested as an alternative to pasteurization, cannot ensure a product that is 100 percent safe and free of pathogens. Pasteurization remains the best way to reduce the unavoidable risk of contamination, according to the authors.
Unpasteurized cider strikes again; six sick in Iowa
In the fall of 1998, I accompanied one of my four daughters on a kindergarten trip to the farm. After petting the animals and touring the crops --I questioned the fresh manure on the strawberries --we were assured that all the food produced was natural.
We then returned for unpasteurized apple cider. The host served the cider in a coffee urn, heated, so my concern about it being unpasteurized was abated. I asked: "Did you serve the cider heated because you heard about other outbreaks and were concerned about liability?" She responded, "No. The stuff starts to smell when it's a few weeks old and heating removes the smell."
I repeat this story because it appears that several children have become sick with E. coli O157:H7 after consuming unpasteurized apple cider in Iowa.
As reported by The Hawk Eye, the number of confirmed E. coli cases in the area has grown to six, and it appears that unpasteurized apple cider is the culprit.
Patricia Quinlisk, medical director for the Iowa Department of Public Health, has said the source of a communicable disease will not be released unless it poses an immediate health risk to the public. The department has "made recommendations in the last several weeks" to prevent further cases of the disease, she said. …
Kaden Althide of Basco, Ill., and 7-year-old TiAhnna Bryant of Donnellson, said they believe their children encountered the disease from the same source during the weekend of Oct.4. …
For more than two weeks, both children have endured almost daily dialysis and surgeries, blood transfusions and ultrasounds, among other things. …
The Iowa Department of Public Health issued a press release Tuesday encouraging Iowans to avoid consuming unpasteurized juices and ciders because they can be linked with outbreaks of disease.
Raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt: A thoroughly modern Marie Antoinette
Amy and I went to Versailles last summer while touring around France, and I’ve seen that Marie Antoinette movie so I consider myself well-versed in the French aristocracy of the late 18th century.
Toronto Globe and Mail columnist John Doyle explored the same themes this morning in a review of a documentary about Ontario raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt which is being broadcast tonight on Wallyworld – sorry, Newsworld, Canada’s cable news program.
It's a fascinating documentary with many passionate declarations on whether farmers should be allowed to sell raw milk and the public should be allowed to consume it. It's rich in irony.
It's also an enraging program, largely because the real issue is the existence of the urban bourgeoisie's delusion of invincibility, ignorance about science and tendency to posture in order to justify selfishness.
Schmidt himself is a fascinating character, self-mythologizing relentlessly and shrewdly. He's always in a hat or cap and presents himself as an artist. No doubt his little farm is clean and well-run, but when Schmidt and his cabal of celebrity-chef supporters appear together and prattle on about taste and claim to be against "big business," they're just nitwits. …
The vulnerability of children is a key issue. Sure, adults are entitled to choice - but allowed the choice of giving unpasteurized milk to children, who have no choice? Call me peculiar, but the safety of children has nothing to do with the "nanny state" interfering in some alleged gourmand's taste for dangerous foods. One reason the nanny state exists is to protect the young, the elderly and the vulnerable. …
Watching Schmidt and his supporters, I was reminded of the one of the phenomena of the Romantic period in Europe - all those pastoral elegies of the 1700s, in which the poet idealizes rustic life, especially the shepherd, for the enjoyment of aristocrats.
That phenomenon peaked, I suppose, in France, in the late 18th century, when it was a fad at the French court to play at being part of the pastoral world. Marie Antoinette liked nothing better than to pretend she was a shepherdess (that's her Versailles farmhouse, right and below). It was an indulgent fantasy, very far removed from the reality of rustic life. Then came the Revolution. And little wonder. The raw-milk issue is about today's Marie Antoinettes.
Do Michael Schmidt's cows 'produce wonderful abstract-expressionist paintings in their off hours'
The Owen Sound Sun Times has had enough of raw milk evangelist Michael Schmidt.
The Ontario paper correctly observes that the Ontario government does not have the capacity to ensure that unpasteurized milk is safe to distribute and Michael Schmidt does not have the right to pick and choose which laws he wishes to obey.
.gif)
Schmidt's raw-milk operation may be the most sparkling-clean in all of Ontario. His methods of storage and transport may be beyond reproach. His milk cows may be grass-fed, free-range, pest-free and of above average intelligence. For all we know they may produce wonderful abstract-expressionist paintings in their off hours.
That does not change the fact that drinking raw milk brings with it a heightened risk of salmonella, E. coli and Listeriosis. Nor does it change the fact that pasteurization saves lives.
Anyone who doesn't believe this should ask someone old enough to remember the days before pasteurization was introduced.
If selling raw milk were legal, it would in short order become a big business. The Ontario government, knowing the statistical risks of raw-milk distribution, would be legally and morally responsible for ensuring that no one got sick as a result.
That is a chance no responsible, reasonable government can or will take.
Therefore, Schmidt's crusade will fail. It should fail.
One man, however impassioned, cannot set health policy for all Ontarians, in the face of medical evidence that doing so would put people at risk.
Ontario Farmer Michael Schmidt found guilty of contempt of court in raw milk case
An organic farmer accused of ignoring a court order to stop selling unpasteurized milk was found guilty of contempt of court Monday morning in Newmarket, Ont.
Michael Schmidt has run a co-operative organic dairy farm near Owen Sound, Ont., for more than 20 years.
Contempt charges were sought by York Region officials, who fear there are health risks for people consuming the raw milk, including the risk of spreading salmonella, E. coli and listeria.
Schmidt also still faces 20 charges laid by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Grey-Bruce Health Unit. That trial is expected to begin in early 2009.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
and an updated one here.
Raw milk sickens three in Vermont, including toddler, with E. coli
Officials with the Vermont Health Department say raw milk from a local producer is the only epidemiological link involving three cases of E. coli illness.
Patsy Kelso, an epidemiologist with the health department, said,
"We didn't find any other common exposure. It's strong evidence, but it's not conclusive. It's still not absolute proof because we didn't get a hold of any of the raw milk to test."
The name of the raw milk producer is not being released, because the state cannot be sure that the milk was the source, she said.
The state doesn't have the regulatory authority to force a recall even if a source is pinpointed with proof. Besides, the batch of milk that possibly was the source has already been consumed or discarded, she said. Raw milk has a short shelf life.
Two of the three people ate ice cream made from raw milk at a picnic. The third person drank raw milk from the same producer, but not at the picnic. One of the three recent cases involved a toddler who had kidney problems.
Schwarzenegger vetos Calif. raw milk bill
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a proposal to let the state’s two raw milk bottlers bypass bacteria standards that treat raw milk like pasteurized milk, saying,
“This bill weakens food safety standards in California, something I cannot support. … Looking past the lobbying techniques, public relations campaign, and legal maneuvering in the courts, one conclusion is inescapably clear: the standard in place has kept harmful products off the shelves and California’s raw milk dairies have been operating successfully under it for the entirety of 2008.
"Based on fears with no basis in fact, the proponents of SB 201 seek to replace California’s unambiguous food safety standards for raw milk. Instead they have created a convoluted and undefined regulatory process with no enforcement authority or clear standards to protect public health.”
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Florida man dies from raw oysters
As I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of raw seafood.
Medical examiners in Florida say a Florida man who was a passenger and died suddenly following a high speed chase with police, had a deficient liver and was killed by Vibrio vulnificus in raw oysters he had eaten earlier.
Meanwhile, Mahogany clams served at Hinerwadel's Grove in North Syracuse, New York, have been found to contain two bacteria, including campylobacter. So far, 236 people have been sickened. The investigation continues.
Reasons to avoid raw shellfish
Me, I love a bowl of mussels with a white wine and tomato sauce (go figure) and a thick bread for dipping. That’s me (right) indulging while in New Zealand. Kansas isn’t exactly the seafood capital of the U.S., and I chuckle when I see mussels from Prince Edward Island (that’s in Canada) advertized in Manhattan (Kansas).
But I also take my seafood cooked. Here’s why:
Hinerwadel's in North Syracuse, New York served up some raw clams earlier in September that is responsible for at least 160 illnesses. The clams apparently originated in Maine.
And at least 40 people the Valencia region of Spain have contracted Hepatitis A after eating frozen shellfish from Peru. They were probably thawed and either served raw or undercooked.
Don’t’ eat poop. Or at least cook it out.
Raw milk with campylobacter sickens at least seven across Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is warning consumers who purchased raw milk from Hendricks Farm & Dairy of Telford, Montgomery County, to immediately discard the raw milk and any items made with the raw milk due to potential bacterial contamination. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized.
Recently, individuals who consumed raw milk purchased from the dairy were found to have gastrointestinal illness due to Campylobacter, a bacterial infection. Since September 1, a total of seven confirmed cases of Campylobacter infection have been reported among raw milk drinkers in seven unrelated households in Pennsylvania and a neighboring state. Other individuals in these households have also experienced similar gastrointestinal illness. The investigation is ongoing.
The Department of Agriculture today suspended the farm's raw milk permit and instructed the owner to stop selling raw milk for human consumption until the permit is reinstated. The Department of Agriculture will require two raw milk samples drawn at least one day apart to be tested negative for bacterial pathogens before raw milk sales may resume.
For more information about Campylobacter, visit the Department of Health at www.health.state.pa.us or call 1-877-PA-HEALTH.
In addition to showing up in Sarah Palin’s Alaskan peas via bird poop, campylobacter was found in a sample of Grade A raw cream produced by Organic Pastures in California. Fortunately, no illnesses have been associated with the poop in raw California cream.
Almond growers want to keep it raw -- with salmonella
I really just wanted an excuse to post this pic.
And the Cornucopia Institute, the defenders of all things raw and contaminated, provinded the excuse by announcing that a group of fifteen American almond growers and wholesale nut handlers filed a lawsuit in the Washington, D.C. federal court on Tuesday, September 9 seeking to repeal a controversial USDA-mandated treatment program for California-grown raw almonds.
Whole Foods and Martin Sheen flog raw milk
Hollywood heavyweight Martin Sheen is lending his voice to the battle to protect consumer choice, as a measure to help keep safe, well-regulated raw milk on California store shelves heads to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature.
At least that’s what the press release from California State Senator Dean Florez, D-Shafter, says. Sure, consumers can have choice. And lawyers like Bill Marler and the victims of foodborne illness have the choice to litigate against those who peddle poop. Whole Foods may as well paint a bullseye on its logo.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture has a comprehensive report on its most recent investigation of raw milk related illness at
http://www.ct.gov/doag/lib/doag/marketing_files/bulletin/Wednesday_Augus t_20_2008_issue.pdf
On July 16th, 2008 the Connecticut Department of Agriculture began an investigation of a possible link between several reported illnesses and the consumption of Retail Raw Milk (unpasteurized milk). Recently we concluded that investigation. The investigation was prompted when the Department was notified by Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Epidemiologists of 2 reported illnesses in which both patients had consumed Retail Raw Milk from a dairy licensed to produce Retail Raw Milk and pasteurized milk and milk products. The patients were aged 2 and 7, one was on dialysis. After notifying the dairy of the investigation, the dairy voluntarily stopped sale of all milk. Soon after the initial 2 reported illnesses, DPH reported 2 additional cases linked to the dairy. By the time we concluded our investigation a total of 7 known individuals were sickened from consuming Retail Raw Milk and several were hospitalized. The Retail Raw Milk implicated in this incident was purchased from 2 separate national, natural food, chain store locations and directly from the farm. None of the reported illnesses were linked to pasteurized milk and milk products produced at this dairy. The individuals sickened had acquired a condition known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and one case of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP). HUS is a disorder that occurs when an infection in the digestive system produces toxic substances that destroy red blood cells. …
After extensive testing of milk, milk contact surfaces, water sources, the environment in and around the farm and processing plant and, analysis of feces from each milking aged animal, the department obtained a genetic fingerprint match between E. coli O157:H7 recovered from the feces of 1 cow and E. coli O157:H7 isolated from 3 patients. Approximately 170 separate samples and specimens of milk, water, feces and swabs of milk contact surfaces were analyzed by the DPH Public Health Laboratory in a 3 week period. …
The department has concluded that the most likely cause of this food borne illness outbreak was the consumption of Retail Raw Milk contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. While good sanitation and management practices can lower the incidence of pathogens in raw milk we believe and studies support the position that pasteurization is the only proven way to eliminate pathogens from raw milk.
Don't eat poop - and if it's on oysters at least cook it
Xinhua News Agency reports,
“A total of 141 people in Macao were food-poisoned after eating polluted raw oysters in local restaurants, the Special Administration Region's health authorities announced on Monday.
“The food-poisoning outbreak was firstly reported on Aug. 28 when a number of people fell sick after eating raw oysters served in a buffet restaurant in the Venetian Macao Resort, and more cases were later reported in restaurants in the Sands Hotel, Golden Dragon Hotel and the Macao Tower, according to the SAR's Disease Control and Prevention Center of the Macao Health Bureau ( SSM).
“The SSM said in its latest press release that eight new cases were reported on Monday, the victims of which dined in the four restaurants mentioned above and ate raw oysters, but it also confirmed that those victims have fully recovered from the illness.
“The problem oysters served in the four restaurants came from the same supplier in Hong Kong, according to the SSM, which has ordered the four eateries to stop providing raw oysters at their buffets.
“The food-poisoning was caused by Norwalk virus that was communicable through food, vomit, and excreta among human beings, said the SSM, adding that the victims comprised locals as well as tourists from Hong Kong and elsewhere.”
Ontario man hospitalized 34 days with listeria from raw milk cheese(?) Wife calls for warning labels
Jockie Loomer-Kruger of Kitchener, Ontario, writes in a letter to the K-W Record today that that she and her husband holidayed in Quebec City this June and delighted in sampling many specialty cheeses made from raw milk. Then the husband became ill.
.jpg)
After 34 days in hospital with listeria infection, her husband came home.
Loomer-Kruger says,
"it may be time that unpasteurized milk and milk products carried the same kinds of warnings seen on cigarette packages, products that contain nuts, or on toys with small choking-hazard parts.
"For example: "WARNING! This raw milk product may contain dangerous bacteria which could cause serious illness or death. At risk are the very young, pregnant women (potential miscarriages or stillbirths), the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, or those with artificial body parts such as heart valves or replaced joints. CONSUME AT YOUR OWN RISK."
Raw milk sickens infant; lawsuit filed
(1).jpg)
As a father with four daughters and a fifth on the way, I relate to the let’s not make kids sick aspect of raw milk.Proponents of raw milk say that is just so much statistical shit, and that hardly anyone gets sick from raw milk.
Except it is entirely preventable, and well-meaning people get sucked in by nutritional gobbledygook.
Like Angela Pedersen, who says her almost one-year-old Larry contracted E. coli O157:H7 from raw milk she bought at the Herb Depot and Organic Market in Monett, Miss.
"It was a living hell. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. I don't know how many days I would look at my son and I didn't know if he was going to take another breath.”
The family's now suing that business. Pedersen says back in April she went to the store to buy almond milk. She says she was then told about the benefits of raw milk.
"We were approached and told that the goat's milk would be a better alternative. It's healthier than breast milk and it would be wonderful for him. We agreed to try it," says Pedersen.
Raw milk sickens four in Conn.
.jpg)
The Hartford Courant reports that the dairy has stopped producing and selling milk and milk products indefinitely. Lawyer Bill Marler is representing several raw milk victims across the U.S. Unfortunately, he may have some more clients.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Raw milk: Should the state ban it? Or drink it up?
“Although the number of cases nationwide is low, contaminated raw milk can contain a strain of E. coli that sometimes causes hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening complication that can cause kidney failure and death.It took a 2005 outbreak of E. coli in raw milk that sickened 18 people in Washington and Oregon and put two children on life support to get all the players -- the dairy and raw milk communities, lawmakers, the state agriculture and health departments -- together to try to figure out what to do, Gordon said.
Last week, the owners of the dairy that sold the tainted milk, Michael and Anita Puckett, pleaded guilty in federal court in Seattle to the charge of distributing adulterated food.
Claudia Coles, food safety manager for the state Department of Agriculture, agreed that something had to done, that "in these outbreaks, it is almost always the children that become the victims."
The state's options for trying to control the sale of raw milk products were limited. In other states where it was banned completely, a black market flourished. So the question facing regulators is whether public health is better protected by regulating, testing, licensing and inspecting the raw milk or just by banning it so it goes underground with no oversight.
Doug Powell says he's not surprised that government health officials denounce the dangers of raw milk then turn around and license the sale of the same milk.
"In part, it's because of the almost evangelical way people talk about raw milk and that America is founded on consumer choice," said the associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University.
"The numbers of illnesses from outbreaks caused by unpasteurized milk are not that high. You could very easily make the cases that 'Wow, maybe tomatoes should be regulated a whole lot more than we do now because the numbers of cases of salmonella saintpaul are up to 550 now,' " said Powell, who is also scientific director for the International Food Safety Network.
.jpg)
"I don't care if people drink raw milk. What I'm particularly concerned about is them then imposing their choice on their kids, because they're the ones who get sick. People have the right to sell a product, but if it makes people sick, they have a right to sue."Seattle food safety lawyer Bill Marler is up to his neck in many of those lawsuits. He grew up drinking raw milk on the farm "because that's what my dad wanted us to do," he said. He has tried injury suits stemming from most of Washington's raw milk outbreaks and is now handling similar cases in California and Missouri.
"The entire raw milk debate is so emotionally charged that there's no common ground at all," Marler said. "The reality is if you poison a little child by selling a product that could easily be pasteurized, you're going to have to deal with the legal issues surrounding that," he said.
Raw milk risk
On September 18, 2006, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was notified of two children hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). One of the patients had culture-confirmed Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection, and both patients had consumed raw (unpasteurized) cow milk in the week before illness onset. Four additional cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in children who had consumed raw cow milk or raw cow colostrum produced by the same dairy were identified during the following 3 weeks. In California, intrastate sale of raw milk and raw colostrum is legal and regulated. This report summarizes the investigation of these cases by CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and four local health departments and subsequent actions to prevent illnesses. As a result of this and other outbreaks, California enacted legislation (AB 1735), which took effect January 1, 2008, setting a limit of 10 coliforms/mL for raw milk sold to consumers. Raw milk in several forms, including colostrum, remains a vehicle of serious enteric infections, even if the sale of raw milk is regulated.
.jpg)
Six cases were identified; four persons had culture-confirmed infections, one had a culture-confirmed infection and HUS, and one had HUS only. The median age of patients was 8 years (range: 6--18 years), and four of the patients (67%) were boys. The six cases identified during this investigation were geographically dispersed throughout California. All six patients reported bloody diarrhea; three (50%) were hospitalized. Illness onset occurred during September 6--24, 2006. Isolates from the five patients with culture-confirmed infections had indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. The PFGE pattern was new to the PulseNet (the National Molecular Subtyping Network for Foodborne Disease) database and differed markedly from the pattern of the E. coli O157:H7 strain associated with a concurrent multistate outbreak linked to spinach consumption (1). Four of the five E. coli O157:H7 isolates were subtyped by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) according to a protocol used by CDPH laboratory and were found to have closely related MLVA patterns (2).Five of six patients reported they had consumed brand A raw dairy products in the week before their illness onset; the sixth patient denied drinking brand A raw milk, although his family routinely purchased it. Among the five patients who consumed brand A dairy products, two consumed raw whole milk, two consumed raw skim milk, and one consumed raw chocolate-flavored colostrum. Four of the five patients routinely drank raw milk from dairy A. One patient was exposed to brand A dairy product only once; he was served raw chocolate colostrum as a snack when visiting a friend. No other food item was commonly consumed by all six patients. No other illness was reported among household members who consumed brand A dairy products.
Using purchase information supplied by the patients' families, investigators determined that the patients consumed raw milk from lots produced at dairy A during September 3--13, 2006. Milk samples from these production dates were not available for testing. Fifty-six product samples from several lots with code dates of September 17, 2006, or later were retrieved from retails stores and dairy A and were tested for aerobic microflora, total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli O157:H7. The outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 was not found in any product samples. However, standard aerobic plate counts and coliform counts of collected samples with code dates of September 17 through October 9, 2006, were indicative of contamination. Colostrum samples had high standard plate counts and total coliform counts, and fecal coliform counts of 210--46,000 MPN/g. California standards limit standard plate counts for raw and pasteurized milk to 15,000 CFU/mL and total coliform counts for pasteurized milk to 10 coliform bacteria/mL. At the time of this outbreak, California did not have a coliform standard for milk sold raw to consumers. California also classifies colostrum as a dietary supplement, for which it has no microbiologic standards, rather than a milk product.
Raw milk from dairy A was the likely vehicle of transmission, but the exact mode of milk contamination in this outbreak was not determined.
Asymptomatic cows can harbor pathogens and cause human illness by shedding pathogens in untreated milk or milk products. These findings suggest that if raw milk had been subject to the same coliform standard as pasteurized milk in California, milk from dairy A might have been excluded from sale and this outbreak might have been averted.
From 1998 to May 2005, raw milk or raw milk products have been implicated in 45 foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, accounting for more than 1,000 cases of illness (CDC, unpublished data, 2007). Because illnesses associated with raw milk continue to occur, additional efforts are needed to educate consumers and dairy farmers about illnesses associated with raw milk and raw colostrum. To reduce the risk for E. coli O157 and other infections, consumers should not drink raw milk or raw milk products.
Raw milk thought to sicken one with E. coli O157 in Missouri
Mom says raw milk made kids sick
"What began as a two-night getaway at a farm in Lancaster County, Pa., turned into a calamity of nightmarish proportions for me and my two kids when we drank raw milk.
My friend and I took our children to a working farm during spring break. They milked cows, fed bottles of milk to calves and ran free on acres of land - a rarity for these city kids.
They also drank the milk that was on the breakfast table, a milk I might add, that was the most silky and delicious any of us had ever tasted. We were told it was unpasteurized, but made to believe it was safe. (I assumed it was at least boiled).
A day after returning home, we knew we had made a terrible mistake. The first to fall ill was my five-year-old daughter, who had a high fever, then stomach flu symptoms, then my four-year-old son, then me.
My friend and her family had become violently ill as well. We spent seven days worried that our kids could dehydrate and forced them to drink gallons of Gatorade. My friend did get dehydrated and needed intravenous fluids in order to return to her job as a nurse.
After a week of this torture, medical tests showed we had contracted campylobacter, a bacterial food poisoning that can be found in unpasteurized milk. The six of us were prescribed antibiotics.
Thankfully, we're all going to be OK.
To be fair, campylobacter can also be spread by contact with raw or undercooked poultry, as the farm owners later told us, but the likely culprit according to my doctor was the raw milk."
Does magic food make kids barf?
So says Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
She adds.
"Without the green grass, you're missing a lot of vitamins. Also, it's much safer. When cows are eating green grass, you don't find pathogens in their milk."
With such statements, public advocacy becomes public health risk.
The natural reservoirs for E. coli O157:H7 and other verotoxigenic E. coli is the intestines of all ruminants, including cattle -- grass or grain-fed -- sheep, goats, deer and the like. The final report of the fall 2006 spinach outbreak identifies nearby grass-fed beef cattle as the likely source of the E. coli O157:H7 that sickened 200 and killed 4.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Kids are often the ones that get sick.
.jpg)
Don Schaffner, guest barfblogger: Raw milk seminar series update
Dr. Gebhart is a licensed physician and board certified medical specialist practicing in Ohio. Dr. Gebhart has worked in acute care medicine as a clinician, teacher, and researcher. Dr. Gebhart has taken special interest in raw milk obtained from grass fed cows and believes many of the gastrointestinal disorders affecting millions of Americans could be cured by consumption of this product.
Gebhart spent the first half of his time pointing out in great detail that raw milk contains multiple redundant systems of bioactive components that reduce or eliminate pathogens. He proceeded to show a series of slides listing more than twenty of these components (e.g. lactoperoxidase, medium chain fatty acids, B-lymphocytes, lysozyme, etc.).
Gebhart’s focus then shifted to the microbial risks in raw milk. He cited one study from a reputable journal (Applied and Environmental Microbiology) that showed that levels of the pathogens Campylobacter decline over time in raw milk. When questioned by one audience member – Dr. Tom Montville – about CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) statistics showing many foodborne disease cases linked to raw milk, Gebhart said the he believed the epidemiological links to raw milk were not conclusively proven.
Gebhart then shared some statistics from two different sources (American Journal of Public Health and the CDC) that show that there were only 1.9 cases of raw milk food poisoning per 100,000 people, vs. 4.7 cases of pasteurized milk food poisoning per people 100,000. Gebhart thought that these data made a compelling point in favor of raw milk, until another audience member – Dr. Mukund Karwe – pointed out that many more people consume pasteurized milk than raw milk. Gebhart then stated that he needed to double check his references.
Gebhart then shared a number of slides in quick succession on a variety of topics including information on the effect of pasteurization on human breast milk, the safety of milk from cows with access to pasture, and the ability of some pathogens (spore formers like B. cereus and C. botulinum) to survive pasteurization. Gebhart quickly wrapped up his talk as the debate between different audience members began to drown him out.
I can’t wait to see how things go on Monday.
--
Don Schaffner is an Extension Specialist in Food Science at Rutgers
University.
Raw milk BS
The advertisement masquerading as a story about raw milk in the March 23, 2008 Boston Globe magazine (Got raw milk?) should have noted that the author is an advocate for raw milk, which may help explain the statistical cherry picking throughout the story – like comparing confirmed illnesses from raw dairy products to the overall estimated illnesses from food.
A table of raw dairy outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Yes, lots of foods make people sick. And people should be free to choose what they ingest.
The 19th century English utilitarian philosopher, John Stuart Mill, noted that choice has limits, stating, "if it [in this case the consumption of raw unpasteurized milk] only directly affects the person undertaking the action, then society has no right to intervene, even if it feels the actor is harming himself."
Excused from Mill’s libertarian principle are those people who are incapable of self-government – children.
Science can be used to enhance what nature provided. Further, society has a responsibility to the many -- philosopher Mill also articulated how the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one — to use knowledge to minimize harm.
Adults, do whatever you think works to ensure a natural and healthy lifestyle, but please, don't impose your dietary regimes on those incapable of protecting themselves: your kids.
Dr. Douglas Powell is scientific director of the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University
'Real Camembert' wins war against pasteurized posers
.jpg)
Two of France’s top lait cru Camembert producers, Lactalis and Isigny-Sainte-Mère, announced last year they were forgoing the status of “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” and switching to cheese made exclusively with heat-treated micro-filtered milk (not quite pasteurized but still an affront to purists).Lactilis’ spokesperson, Luc Morelon said that although they recognize the importance of Camembert traditions, they’re making the change,
“[b]ecause consumer safety is paramount, and we cannot guarantee it 100 per cent. We cannot accept the risk of seeing our historic brands disappearing because of an accident in production."
In response to his critics Morelon added,
“I don't want to risk sending any more children to hospital. It's as simple as that."
.jpg)
Lactalis and Isigny-Sainte-Mere had argued for dropping the requirement that raw milk be used in the production of Camember to qualify for the AOC label.Child sickened by raw milk; Marler sues
According to the lawsuit filed Feb. 6, Chris developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a common cause of kidney failure, due to E. coli infection.
Hospitalized from Sept. 7 to Nov. 2, 2006, Chris "suffered life-threatening injuries that have left him permanently injured," the suit states. The Martins have incurred more than $450,000 in medical bills.
The suit says the source of the E. coli was raw milk produced at Organic Pastures Dairy in Fresno and sold by a Sprouts store in Temecula.
Sprouts store owner Linda Watson was quoted as saying,
"There is no information I know of that any E. coli in any raw milk was sold at our store, or anywhere else for that matter."
A table of raw-milk related outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Mark McAfee, owner of Organic Pastures Dairy in Fresno, said there is no proof that his company is at fault, as also alleged in the lawsuit, adding,
"When a person sues for a food-related illness, they must be able to show a connection between a product and the person. There isn't a connection here. … Because there isn't any connection, we feel confident we have a very strong defense."
Seattle attorney Bill Marler who is representing the Martins in their lawsuit, said,
"Under California law, the whole distribution chain is strictly liable. We don't have to prove the store did anything wrong or was negligent, just that it was in the product. Selling unpasteurized milk is a risk stores shouldn't be willing to take. … The message here is, whether it is raw or pasteurized milk, you have to be willing to take the responsibility of making sure your product is safe for your consumers."
Tony Martin was further quoted as saying,
"We live in a society where people are not that concerned with getting a pathogen and they need to be," and that some proponents of raw milk are "zealots" in the ways they push the product.
Kansas consumers warned about homemade raw milk cheese
Food safety inspectors found the cheese being sold last week at Panaderia Real, 107 North Jennie Barker Road, in Garden City. The cheese was destroyed after testing confirmed that it was made from unpasteurized milk and that it was contaminated with Salmonella.An investigation into the cheese’s origin revealed that it was being made in the home of Guadalupe Valadez, who is not licensed to manufacture food. To be licensed, Valadez would need to use a commercial kitchen to make the cheese and to undergo routine food safety inspections.
Valadez was selling the cheese to neighbors, to coworkers at Tyson Foods and to two stores, Panaderia Real on Jennie Barker Road and at Panaderia Alexis at 146 Stevens Avenue. She reports she had been making and selling the cheese for about a month.
The illegal cheese was identified during a two-month pilot project to monitor the safety of imported and domestically produced foods offered for sale in Kansas. It was launched by the Kansas Department of Agriculture late last month. '
Inspectors are collecting up to 10 products from each facility they visit as part of the project. Products are tested for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli, the most common causes of foodborne illness.
Tasmania, rest of Australia, wake up to raw egg risks
"All the evidence we have collected so far indicates that there is no single ‘magic bullet’ solution to preventing further outbreaks of salmonella gastroenteritis. Things can go wrong at each step of the way from farm to fork, and so multiple control points and strategies are required – in just the same way as we recommend that drinking water authorities use a 'catchment-to-tap' approach to drinking water management.The Public and Environmental Health Service has previously issued several warnings to both the food industry and the public outlining the hazards associated with raw egg products and cautioning against their continued use. … I say this because OzFoodNet - the Australian national surveillance system for foodborne diseases has reported that the number of egg-related Salmonella outbreaks across Australia increased in 2006 and 2007 when compared to previous years. Eggs were responsible for approximately 14% of the 115 foodborne disease outbreaks occurring in 2006 and 12% of the138 outbreaks in 2007.”
Dr Taylor said that given the national increase, and the local experience of salmonella outbreaks associated with eggs, we propose to introduce new measures to control the safety of raw egg products in Tasmania as a matter of urgency.
Under the new requirements all food businesses choosing to make raw egg products must document the method of manufacture and follow strict and auditable procedures governing egg receipt, product preparation, storage and handling.
The shelf life of each batch of raw egg product will also be limited to no more than 24 hours under refrigeration, after which the product must be discarded.
Dr Taylor said the new egg safety measures will be legally enforceable by local government environmental health officers, as part food business licensing and inspection procedures.
“The new requirements will not apply to businesses using commercially processed egg-based sauces and dressings, or to businesses that use pasteurised products such as egg pulp in lieu of raw eggs.
“I would also urge patrons when dining out to ask whether raw eggs have been used to prepare mayonnaise, aioli and tartare sauces, so that they can make an informed choice."
Guest barfblogger, Silvia Dominguez: Live from Rutgers raw milk seminar series
On February 6th, the seminar series started with a presentation by Mark McAfee, from the organic dairy farm Organic Pastures (California): “Raw Milk, mother nature’s inconvenient truth”. Mr. McAfee discussed the health benefits of raw milk consumption as well as the personal satisfaction and commercial advantages of organic farming.
Throughout the talk, emphasis was put on the safe history of raw milk consumption with respect to pathogen contamination and association with foodborne outbreaks, and on the seemingly overwhelming health benefits of the consumption of raw milk as opposed to FDA-approved pasteurized milk. According to Mr. McAfee, raw milk represents an inconvenient truth to big dairies, pharmaceutical companies, western medicine in general and long-distribution chains. Though all these entities may have a commercial interest in keeping raw milk illegal, the consumer would be the one to benefit from its commercialization. Cases were mentioned of raw milk consumers who recovered from diseases such as allergies, lactose intolerance, Crohn’s disease or asthma which were unable to be cured by western medicine. Western medicine was claimed to only treat the symptoms of disease, whereas exercise and the consumption of unprocessed foods, such as organic raw milk, help prevent disease. The ability of raw milk to enhance the immune system is the most generally claimed reason for its health benefits. According to Mr. McAfee, among the factors that contribute to organic raw milk’s beneficial effects are its high content of animal fat (from grass-fed, not grain-fed cows), enzymes, beneficial bacteria, as well as vitamins and minerals. All of these are of course important components of a healthy diet, which are minimized in the standard American diet (aka “S.A.D.”).
In particular, the example of pasteurized milk was used to describe the “harmful” effects of commercial processing. Apart from the destruction of enzymes and probiotic bacteria, it was implied that pasteurization covers for unsanitary processing practices, and that pasteurized product is an easy target for pathogens such as L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, the prevalence in recent times of immune system diseases was correlated with the consumption of processed food products. Unfortunately, scientific evidence is not abundant due to the limited number of research grants available and the implications of doing research against the interests of official agencies.
A number of benefits of organic farming were also mentioned, and from an economic point of view it was emphasized that a market exists for raw milk products, in which a consumer is willing to pay ~$5 per half gallon of organic raw milk.
My personal conclusion of this presentation is that although organic raw milk may represent a more wholesome alternative to pasteurized milk, and has traditionally been consumed raw for centuries, the current state of technology is able to produce microbiologically-safe, nutritious milk readily available to large, wide-spread populations in a cost-efficient manner. The presence of raw milk in the market may be a rightful and, if properly produced, safe alternative to consumers and farmers.
--
Silvia is a Graduate Assistant at Rutgers University and is looking forward to the upcoming seminars! ("Raw Milk Wars, Government's Attempt to Dictate What Foods We Can Consume" on 2/20, and “Raw Milk, A Microbiology Primer” on 4/3).
Do happy cows make happy milk?
Are humans safer when they’re happy? Are you? Ok. Now follow this logic…
Are cows?
I’m willing to go along with the California Cow commercial that claims “Great cheese comes from happy cows” and maybe even the only happy cows in the world come from California. Why not – the weather is nice and the people are laid-back. But does that necessarily mean their milk is safer?
In a post today on http://wewantorganicfood.com/
author, Lynn Cameron says, “If there could be a master key to safe raw milk, I think it would be contented cows.” The author contends that today, some raw milk is unsafe because some cows spend their days indoors, “living on field corn and soybeans to the degradation of their milk and the degeneration of the nation’s health.” I guess this is something akin to the cubicle complex.
Call me a skeptic, but I really need some science to back up this happy feeling. It’s nice to think that happy cows frolicking on the hill cannot produce anything bad. The author of the article rightfully makes a call to our nostalgia – to a happier time before farming was industrialized. Nostalgia is nice, but it does not make food safer. While Cameron says, “It’s not complicated science to understand that quality of life as well as diet affects cows’ milk quality,” her inability to produce that uncomplicated science leaves me completely unconvinced. This kind of thinking, that cows “raised entirely outdoors on green grass and/or hay, their milk is proven time and again greatly reduced in pathogens (bad bacteria),” has really not been proven as explained by David Renter in September 2006. “Cattle raised on diets of ‘grass, hay and other fibrous forage’ do contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their feces as do other animals including deer, sheep, goats, bison, opossum, raccoons, birds, and many others.”
I’m completely in favor of good conditions and happy cows – who wouldn’t be? But even in the best conditions, microbiological contamination can happen – just as it happens in very happy homes with very content cooks. “Confinement cows” or “happy cows,” the only scientifically proven measure to reduce the risk of dangerous pathogens in milk is pasteurization.
5 sickened by raw milk in Washington
The dairy pulled that batch of milk from the shelves and has resumed its distribution of raw milk.
The health department said the dairy has changed its testing procedures to reduce the risk of releasing contaminated milk.
A table of raw milk outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Raw milk: it's all about the money
Cindy told the Brattleboro Reformer yesterday that her family swung open its barn doors at Great Brook Farm over the weekend to celebrate its decision to start selling raw milk in the new milkhouse farm store, to give her family a greater margin on every gallon sold, and for dairy farmers, every extra dollar helps.
The story talks about the differences between state laws in New Hampshire and Vermont, with Westover saying the Vermont raw milk law -- apparently a variation of don't ask don't tell -- makes it harder for farmers, adding,
"It's too bad Vermont has that rule because if Vermont and New Hampshire dairy farmers go out of business, it will change everything in the two states. The state should do what it can to help farmers survive."
Raw oysters cause seven in Tennessee to barf
Consumers who ate raw oysters on or after Dec. 3 and experienced these symptoms are encouraged to contact their health care providers and local health departments. Consumers concerned about the origin of oysters they have recently purchased should contact the place of purchase to determine if the oysters were harvested from the identified area during the Dec. 3-21 period.FDA has received reports of norovirus infection in seven individuals who ate raw oysters on Dec. 13 at a restaurant in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Tennessee Department of Health's test results from two of the ill patients were positive for norovirus. FDA confirmed the presence of norovirus in shell oysters harvested from the West Karako Bay section of Growing Area 3 and were served at the restaurant. Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals closed the affected growing area on Dec. 21. FDA is working with the states involved to determine if any additional actions may be necessary to ensure public health protection.
The original shipper of the oysters is Prestige Oyster Company of Theriot, La. The company shipped the oysters to Bon Secour Fisheries in Bon Secour, Ala. Bon Secour Fisheries, in turn, shipped the oysters to the restaurant in Chattanooga. Considering the shelf-life of the product, it is possible that suspect oysters from the designated area are still available in other retail and food service settings.
FDA advises that it's always best to cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. Consumers can continue to enjoy oysters in many cooked preparations by following this advice:
At Restaurants and other Foodservice Establishments:
0. Order oysters fully cooked.
In the Shell:
• Purchase oysters with the shells closed. Throw away any oysters with shells already opened.
To prepare oysters for eating, choose one of the following methods:
• Boil oysters until the shells open. Once open, boil for an additional 3-5 minutes.
• Steamer - add oysters to water that are already steaming and cook live oysters until the shells open; once open steam for another 4-9 minutes.
• Use smaller pots to boil or steam oysters. Using larger pots, or cooking too many oysters at one time, may cause uneven heat distribution, which may cause the oysters in the middle to not get fully cooked.
• Discard any oysters that do not open during cooking.
Shucked Oysters:
To prepare oysters for eating, choose one of the following methods:
• Boil or simmer shucked oysters for at least 3 minutes or until the edges curl.
• Fry at 375 degrees for at least 3 minutes.
• Broil 3 inches from heat for 3 minutes.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
For further information contact:
FDA Food Safety Hotline: 1-888-SAFEFOOD_FDA website: www.cfsan.fda.gov
Raw milk and sprouts sicken Santa
Expect more video in the new year. Hope everyone enjoyed their day. Amy and I certainly did.
Got campylobacter?
The milk may be contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni and that local health departments are reviewing Campylobacter illness reports that may be related to the milk.
A table of outbreaks linked raw milk or cheese produced from raw milk is available at:
http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/article-details.php?a=3&c=32&sc=419&id=1138
Raw milk sickens the unsuspecting -- again
Medical authorities, however, decreed that Ford died of undulant fever, apparently brought on by drinking unpasteurized milk from the Ford dairy herd, at the behest of his father's mistaken belief that all things natural must be good.
It seems like every week in the U.S. there is a report of unpasteurized milk testing positive for listeria or salmonella or E. coli or campylobacter or some other dangerous bug; every month there is a report of people, largely children, sickened after consuming unpasteurized milk.This month it's Kansas, where at least 87 people have been poisoned with campylobacter in two separate outbreaks -- one linked to consumption of raw milk, and the other to cheese made from raw milk.
Raw milk drinkers believe the pasteurized milk found on grocery store shelves lack the essential enzymes and nutrients necessary to absorb calcium -- yet research shows this is simply not the case. The only things lacking in pasteurized milk are the bacteria that make people -- especially kids -- seriously ill.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that in 1938, before widespread adoption of milk pasteurization, an estimated 25 per cent of all foodborne and waterborne outbreaks of disease were associated with milk.
By 2001, the percentage of such outbreaks associated with milk was estimated at less than 1 per cent. From 1998 to 2005, a total of 45 outbreaks of foodborne illness were reported to CDC in which unpasteurized milk (or cheese suspected to have been made from unpasteurized milk) was implicated. These outbreaks accounted for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations, and two deaths.
Because not all cases of foodborne illness are recognized and reported, the actual number of illnesses associated with unpasteurized milk likely is greater.
A table of the outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
Yes, lots of foods make people sick. And people should be free to choose what they ingest.
The 19th century English utilitarian philosopher, John Stuart Mill, noted that choice has limits, stating, "if it [in this case the consumption of raw unpasteurized milk] only directly affects the person undertaking the action, then society has no right to intervene, even if it feels the actor is harming himself."
Excused from Mill’s libertarian principle are those people who are incapable of self-government – children.
Science can be used to enhance what nature provided. Further, society has a responsibility to the many -- philosopher Mill also articulated how the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one — to use knowledge to minimize harm.
Adults, do whatever you think works to ensure a natural and healthy lifestyle, but please, don't impose your dietary regimes on those incapable of protecting themselves: your kids.
Dr. Douglas Powell is scientific director of the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University
Raw milk sickens the unsuspecting -- again
A table of the outbreaks is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/384/RawMilkOutbreakTable.pdf
49 News reports tonight that two separate outbreaks of campylobacteriosis made at least 87 people sick in Kansas.
Kansas allows raw milk to be sold within the state, but health officials want you to be aware of the health risks that come with consuming raw milk.
In the first outbreak in southwest Kansas, 68 people became ill after eating cheese made from raw (unpasteurized) milk donated by a local dairy for a community celebration. Nineteen people were ill enough to seek medical attention, and two people were hospitalized. Four of these persons tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni; no other food items served at the event were associated with illness.
The second outbreak is linked to a dairy in south central Kansas that sells raw milk directly to consumers. As of November 30, 2007, 19 cases of campylobacteriosis had been reported. Each person reported drinking raw milk purchased from the dairy.
These are rather large numbers of sick people; why is it only public now?
Raw milk goat cheese leads to listeria
Laboratory tests on the raw milk cheese from the Ulverton coop revealed the presence of listeria.
The ministry said the dairy coop does not have the required permit to make cheese destined for consumers and that people should not eat cheese from producers who are not licensed. Only raw milk cheese produced in licensed factories can be consumed safely.
As Amy noted in June, some of the major French producers have switched to using heated milk to reduce the risk of disease. Lactilis’ spokesperson, Luc Morelon said that although they recognize the importance of Camembert traditions, they’re making the change,
“[b]ecause consumer safety is paramount, and we cannot guarantee it 100 per cent. We cannot accept the risk of seeing our historic brands disappearing because of an accident in production." In response to his critics Morelon added, “I don't want to risk sending any more children to hospital. It's as simple as that."
Unpasteurized apple cider remains sexy to some
In October, 1996, 16-month-old Anna Gimmestad of Denver drank Smoothie juice manufactured by Odwalla Inc. of Half Moon Bay, Calif. She died several weeks later; 64 others became ill in several western U.S. states and British Columbia after drinking the same juices, which contained unpasteurized apple cider --and E. coli O157:H7. Investigators believe that some of the apples used to make the cider may have been insufficiently washed after falling to the ground and coming into contact with deer feces.In the fall of 1998, I accompanied one of my four daughters on a kindergarten trip to the farm. After petting the animals and touring the crops --I questioned the fresh manure on the strawberries --we were assured that all the food produced was natural. We then returned for unpasteurized apple cider. The host served the cider in a coffee urn, heated, so my concern about it being unpasteurized was abated. I asked: "Did you serve the cider heated because you heard about other outbreaks and were concerned about liability?" She responded, "No. The stuff starts to smell when it's a few weeks old and heating removes the smell."
Despite dozens of outbreaks linked to unpasteurized cider, some still feel the nostaligia, like the story in today's New York Daily Messenger, entitled, Bring back unpasteurized cider.
In a food porn moment, the story says,
Fresh, delicious cider should be as sacred to Albany as oranges and Key Lime pie are to Tallahassee or unadulterated maple syrup to Montpelier (about the only thing you can go jail for in Vermont short of murder is putting beet juice in your maple syrup.) New York state, after all, has the most renown orchards in the country when it comes to quality apples.
And that’s where the problem started.
The push for treated cider came from the Victor-based New York Apple Association after an E. coli outbreak in 2005 was traced to cider from an orchard up in the Clinton County near the Quebec border. A bill was sponsored by Albany politicians who said that the measure was needed to restore public confidence in New York apples, and then-Gov. Pataki agreed, signing the law.
Except that identified problems with cider and E. coli O157:H7 can be traced back to 1980, so the story is wrong by about 25 years.
Here's the abstract from a paper Amber Luedtke and I published back in 2002:
A review of North American apple cider outbreaks caused by E. coli O157:H7 demonstrated that in the U.S., government officials, cider producers, interest groups and the public were actively involved in reforming and reducing the risk associated with unpasteurized apple cider. In Canada, media coverage was limited and government agencies inadequately managed and communicated relevant updates or new documents to the industry and the public. Therefore, a survey was conducted with fifteen apple cider producers in Ontario, Canada, to gain a better understanding of production practices and information sources. Small, seasonal operations in Ontario produce approximately 20,000 litres of cider per year. Improper processing procedures were employed by some operators, including the use of unwashed apples and not using sanitizers or labeling products accurately. Most did not pasteurize or have additional safety measures. Larger cider producers ran year-long, with some producing in excess of 500,000 litres of cider. Most sold to large retail stores and have implemented safety measures such as HACCP plans, cider testing and pasteurization. All producers surveyed received government information on an irregular basis, and the motivation to ensure safe, high-quality apple cider was influenced by financial stability along with consumer and market demand, rather than by government enforcement.
Prince Charles is an unreliable source of food info
The Belfast Telegraph reported this week that Prince Charles has been a fan of raw milk for years and now the health-conscious tribes of LA and New York are claiming that it can help everything from childhood allergies and eczema to digestive disorders. The story notes that in Britain, the Food Standards Agency says tests on raw milk show that it can contain illness-causing pathogens. Scotland banned it 20 years ago; in England and Wales, sales are restricted to farmer's markets or directly from farm shops, with labels clearly warning of the risk.
John Barron, of Beaconshill Farm in Herefordshire, points out that stringent regulations to ensure the safety of raw milk tend to mean that the cows are significantly healthier than those on commercial farms. "The simple fact is, we've never had a single case of food poisoning," he says.
I've never had much trouble finding people who get sick from consuming raw milk. But Britain is a special place, where the Food Standards Agency says it's OK to use color (or is that colour) as an indicator of doneness in hamburger, where Prince Charles is actually respected, and whose main culinary exports are mushy peas and mad cow disease.
Raw milk strikes again
By 2001, the percentage of such outbreaks associated with milk was estimated at <1%. During 1998--2005, a total of 45 outbreaks of foodborne illness were reported to CDC in which unpasteurized milk (or cheese suspected to have been made from unpasteurized milk) was implicated. These outbreaks accounted for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations, and two deaths (CDC, unpublished data, 2007). Because not all cases of foodborne illness are recognized and reported, the actual number of illnesses associated with unpasteurized milk likely is greater.
Unsubstantiated claims of health benefits of raw milk for infants and children are particularly concerning for caregivers because infants and children are dependent on their caregivers to make safe dietary decisions for them. Sixteen of the 29 ill persons in this outbreak were aged <7 years.
Adults, do what you like, but keep your kids out of the raw milk roulette.
NSW Food Authority issues caution against consumption of "cosmetic" milk
According to a media release on the New South Wales Food Authority website, the Iemma Government has issued a warning for consumers not to drink raw or unpasteurised milk marketed as pet food or for “cosmetic” use as it is a potential health hazard. Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald was cited as saying that the NSW Food Authority had received complaints from the public that rogue retailers are selling deceptively labelled unpasteurised milk as a product fit for human consumption.
“To put it simply, any dairy products labelled as ‘pet food’ or ‘for cosmetic use’, have not been through the Food Authority’s stringent food safety management programs and I would urge consumers not to buy them,” Minister Macdonald was quoted as saying.
The Iemma Government through the NSW Food Authority is currently investigating reports of several retailers illegally selling raw milk for human consumption. The sale of these types of raw dairy products for human consumption is illegal in Australia. The Food Act provides penalties of up to $275,000 for the sale of unpasteurised milk. A similar warning was issued in September by Dairy Food Safety Victoria when it found some retailers in that State were engaging in the same practice.
For a summary of raw milk outbreaks click here.
Raw milk making its mark on the Welsh market
According to icWales, the best source for Welsh news, the latest food fad to hit Wales is... RAW milk.Sold in green-topped bottles, farm shops in Wales are said to be reporting a sharp increases in sales.
Steve Oultram, who owns Newbridge Farm Shop in Ewloe, was cited as saying that his family had been selling raw milk for more than 50 years, but had noticed that it had become more popular recently.
He was quoted as saying, “There’s no doubt that the demand for raw milk is increasing all the time as more people are made aware of it. We have people coming here from considerable distances ... We’ve even started sending it out through mail order because of the demand.”
Mr Oultram was further cited as saying that some of his customers had used the milk to help them combat illnesses. “One person who used to come to us had quite an advanced cancer. She said that the milk was helping so much that she wasn’t having to take as much medicine. And another guy has been buying it for his son who has bad eczema, and he’s said that it’s made a tremendous difference.”
The story notes that there have been reports raw milk could be banned in Wales and England – as it has been in Scotland for more than 20 years. Legislation introduced in January this year means that Welsh retailers of raw milk must now have a licence, as well as carry a warning on the bottle that the milk is not pasteurised. Also, they are also forced by the Food Standards Agency to have a sample of the milk tested every three months to check that it contains no harmful bacteria.
With proper testing, it may be possible to offer a safe, unpasteurized product to the consuming public. But the onus is on producers to show the rest of us that data. Adults, do whatever you think works, but please, don't impose your dietary regimes on your kids. For a summary of raw milk outbreaks click here.
CBS confuses raw, probiotic
I'm not sure the kids sickened in all the outbreaks linked to raw milk would think they got a load of beneficial bacteria.
Dyed raw milk: Not without a fight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today reports that the proposal to start dyeing raw milk to discourage human consumption has stirred up enough opposition that the Georgia Department of Agriculture has decided to hold a public hearing on Nov. 2.
Pet dairy farmers and raw milk lovers are said to be fighting the dye proposal and seeking legislative help. Originally, the department planned to take written comments and issue new rules on Oct. 25.
The hearing starts at 9 a.m. Nov. 2 in Room 201 of the Agriculture Building, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Atlanta.
Give me your best yuck face
Elizabeth Lee today reports in the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that to discourage people from drinking raw milk, the Georgia Department of Agriculture is proposing dyeing it charcoal gray.The story says that raw milk can be sold as pet food in Georgia, if it is labeled appropriately. But it's no secret that people buy the unpasteurized milk to drink themselves, to give to their children or to use in cheese-making.
The department, which notified pet dairy farmers of proposed changes Sept. 24, is said to be committed to making the change, although it is asking for comments through Oct. 24 and will make its decision Oct. 25.
Last month, the Greensboro News and Record reported on a new rule approved by the state Board of Agriculture in North Carolina outlining that unpasteurized milk sold as pet food must be dyed a charcoal-gray color and labeled as not for human consumption. The story explained that the charcoal color was chosen to clearly differentiate the product from standard milk and make raw milk unappealing to children.
Will charcoal dyeing catch on in other states where raw milk sales are permitted for animal consumption - Florida? Indiana?
Fall season brings fresh warnings
The Topeka Capital-Journal has reminded its readers that children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems shouldn’t be served unpasteurized apple juice or other unpasteurized products, such as apple cider.As with raw milk, there are many people who seek unpasteurized juice and cider on the misguided belief that the more natural the food, the better -- tastier, healthier, and safer.
However, due to outbreaks of salmonellosis, E. coli, cryptosporidiosis, cholera and other serious illnesses from unpasteurized juices and apple cider, the FDA requires that virtually all fruit and vegetable juice producers follow HACCP controls using technologies such as heat pasteurization or UV treatment. All apple cider sold in the US, other than sales directly to consumers by producers, must be produced using HACCP principles to achieve a 5-log reduction in pathogens.
So, if you happen to come along a roadside stand, or a shack with a fridge full of unpasteurized apple cider while touring country roads and enjoying fall's splendor, don't be tempted. It doesn't matter how much you like the person selling the product, be informed that consumption (without boiling) carries a risk of foodborne illness. And please, avoid serving unpasteurized products to those most at risk -- your children.
Raw milk rally
Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which she described to Lancaster Farming as the largest proponent of raw milk sales in the U.S., didn't actually testify at the hearings, but did speak at an associated rally, saying that she is against the use of permits when it comes to raw milk sales in any state, so long as the cows used to get the milk from are grassfed.
Why grassfed?
It is commonly but erroneously stated that grassfed cattle have little or no verotoxigenic E. coli like O157:H7. One such advocate, Nina Planck, wrote at the height of the fall 2006 E. coli O157:H7 spinach outbreak in the N.Y. Times that E. coli O157:H7,
"is not found in the intestinal tracts of cattle raised on their natural diet of grass, hay and other fibrous forage. … It's the infected manure from these grain-fed cattle that contaminates the groundwater and spreads the bacteria to produce, like spinach, growing on neighboring farms."
That's not just wrong, it's dangerous. The natural reservoirs for E. coli O157:H7 and other verotoxigenic E. coli is the intestines of all ruminants, including cattle -- grass or grain-fed -- sheep, goats, deer and the like. The final report of the fall 2006 spinach outbreak identifies nearby grass-fed beef cattle as the likely source of the E. coli O157:H7 that sickened 200 and killed 4.
As my colleague David Renter wrote in Sept. 2006,
"Cattle raised on diets of “grass, hay and other fibrous forage” do contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their feces as do other animals including deer, sheep, goats, bison, opossum, raccoons, birds, and many others.
"Cattle diet can affect levels of E. coli O157:H7, but this is a complex issue that has been and continues to be studied by many scientists. To suggest switching cattle from grain to forage based on a small piece of the scientific evidence is inappropriate and irresponsible. Several pieces of evidence suggest that such a change would not eliminate and may even increase E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.
"The current spinach outbreak may be traced back to cattle manure, but there are many other potential sources. Simplistically attacking one facet of livestock production may be politically expedient, but instead provides a false sense of security and ignores the biological realities of E. coli O157:H7. In 1999, for example, 90 children were felled by E. coli O157:H7 at a fair in London, Ont. The source? A goat at a petting zoo, hardly an intensively farmed animal."
Fallon also told the rally it is the “constitutional right” of a farmer and their customer to enter into private contracts when it comes to raw milk sales and that the government has no right to intrude.
Sure. But government does have a responsibility to protect the vulnerable members of society -- especially children.
This one tastes like the cow got into an onion patch
Two health advisories, a feature and charcoal. Just another Friday night for raw milk, which I told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a trend embraced by an affluent, food-obsessed culture.Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said this evening that consumers who purchased raw milk from the Amos B. King dairy farm in Blain, Perry County, any time after Aug. 21, should discard it immediately due to the risk of campylobacterosis contamination.
Later this evening, the California Department of Food and Agriculture issued an order to Organic Pastures Dairy Company to withdraw from retail distribution Grade A raw cream manufactured at their facility in Fresno, due to detection of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria and ordered the company to stop producing raw cream for the retail market.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Board of Agriculture unanimously voted today to require unpasteurized milk sold as pet food to be dyed a charcoal-gray color and labeled as not for human consumption.
Good thing too. As John Kessler of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported today, at least one Atlanta store has raw milk in its dairy case. Cabbagetown Market, a funky grocer, stocks it right next to artisanal cheese and pullet eggs. Owner Lisa Hanson says she has gotten the go-ahead from Georgia Department of Agriculture to sell the milk, as it is labeled "not for human consumption."
Tell that to Suzanne Welander of Atlanta, who drinks the milk she buys there. "I like it for the quality," she enthuses. "It's a really creamy product and I enjoy knowing how it was raised."
Douglas Powell of Kansas State University said,
"If adults want to do it, fine," shrugs Powell, who publishes barfblog, which deals with food safety issues. "But the evidence is fairly clear in terms of links to illnesses from raw milk, and the arguments [touting its health benefits] are largely disingenuous. … Don't expose your kids to your dietary weirdness."
A table of raw-milk related outbreaks is available at:
http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/article-details.php?a=1&c=1&sc=1&id=384
I'll have a brown cow ... hold the charcoal
The North Carolina Board of Agriculture will consider a proposal Friday to require raw, unpasteurized milk, legally sold in the state as "pet food" (as in Dr. Evil saying, "lasers") be labeled "not for human consumption" and dyed charcoal.The story says that the dying requirement is aimed at discouraging people who buy "pet milk" but use it on the dinner table or in making cheese.
The story also notes that a bill in the same N.C. legislature sponsored by Sen. Kay Hagan would allow consumers to enter into contractual arrangements with farmers known as "cow shares" to get raw milk.
Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, was quoted as saying, "I can't imagine the government intruding into someone's refrigerator like this."
Unless it's spinach or lettuce or tomatoes or anything else making people poop and barf, then Democrats are the first to say the government needs to get into the refrigerator.
I credit mine to berries and beer
"Raw milk is also popular among Libertarians, who believe the government does not have the right to regulate what they consume, and among evangelical Christians who adhere to The Maker's Diet, a Bible-based diet of unprocessed food."
The story also quotes Dennis Stoulfouz, a father of three who was raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and is now a Florida farmer with 20 cows, as saying about raw milk:
"I credit it to my energy, my stamina, my libido, my mental clarity.”
Roll over, Louis
Co-owner Lori McGrath was quoted as saying,
"… everyone understands that the state has to be pacified because the Agriculture Department is deathly afraid that any kind of an outbreak will hurt the commercial milk industry."
Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is bankrolling many of the state initiatives to promote raw milk was quoted as saying,
“Raw milk from small family-run farms is immediately refrigerated after milking and is typically sold within a day or two – the freshest milk you can find. I’m hoping that these unnecessary contamination alerts will stop with a little education at the state level.”
A call for education usually means propaganda. Louis Pasteur would be entertained to learn that dangerous microorganisms have political affiliations and avoid small family-run farms. As Brae and I have noted, outbreaks, usually involving children consuming raw milk, continue unabated.
This week in media -- raw milk
Following the lead of the Washington Post, the New York Times is the latest to write about the market demands and push to legalize raw milk sales.
In today's Times, Joe Drapes highlights the Organic Pastures Dairy Company in the San Joaquin Valley near Fresno, which in 2000 became California’s first raw milk dairy with certified organic pasture land. The story says co-founder, Mark McAfee, expects it to gross $6 million — up from $4.9 last year. And while his raw milk is sold in 300 stores in California, where it is legal, McAfee has an $80,000 a month mail order business, shipping creams and cheese as well as milk to all 50 states under the pretense that it's pet food.
Despite staggering sales and demand as reported by Drape, outbreaks associated with the consumption of raw milk continue to be recorded. But of course that doesn't bother advocates.
“I think the bigger risk is having a salad from Wendy’s,” said a raw milk supporter from a farmers’ market in New Hampshire this past weekend.
And again, from yesterday's Post, Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, was quoted as saying, "We're not talking about raw milk from a typical conventional dairy," she says. "That milk could pose a danger. But milk from cows fed on pastures actually have their own antimicrobial components that keep it safe."
Our response at iFSN: Adults, do whatever you think works to ensure a natural and healthy lifestyle, but please don't impose your dietary regimes on those incapable of protecting themselves: your kids.
Raw almonds, the new raw milk
According to a press release from the Cornucopia Institute small-scale farmers, retailers, and consumers are renewing their call to reassess a USDA plan to "pasteurize". The press release says that all domestic almonds must have the treatments by early next year in response to outbreaks of Salmonella in 2001 and 2004. Will Fantle, research director for The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group, was quoted as saying, "The almond 'pasteurization' plan presents many harmful impacts for consumers and the agricultural community. The logic behind both the necessity and safety of the treatments processes has not been adequately analyzed."
Last Wednesday, the California Almond Board requested a delay in the treatment mandate until March, 2008, which had previously been set for September.
Fantle was further quoted as saying, "We support this delay, but a delay, due to the industry being unprepared, isn't enough. The USDA must also re-open the rule for public review and comment so that those who have been shut out of the decision-making process can have input into any almond treatment plan."
Already producers were coming up with 'nutty solutions' to offer customers the opportunity to “rent” trees for the season. In the same way that cow share programs allow raw-milk advocates to legally obtain unpasteurized dairy products, “tree shares” would allow almond eaters to keep eating raw almonds.
Consumer alert: Autumn Valley Farm (NY) raw milk
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets this afternoon released a CONSUMER ALERT after Autumn Valley Farm announced possible Listeria contamination in its raw, unpasteurized milk. Autumn Valley Farm, located at 1644 County Highway #39, Worcester, New York, 12197, holds a Department permit to legally sell raw milk at the farm.
While Autumn Valley Farm prides themselves on the cleanliness of their dairy operation and has been selling raw milk for the last 8 months without any previous violations, all raw milks sales have been voluntarily suspended pending further sampling.
"The Lord takes care of us"
The York Daily Record in Pennsylvania reported Sunday that Stump Acres Dairy has stopped giving away raw milk after some customers became sick and were diagnosed with salmonella this month, marking the third time this year that the North Codorus Township dairy has stopped selling or giving away raw milk because of customers becoming ill.In April when the dairy suspended raw milk sales for the second time in a month under the advice of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which warned that the milk might be associated with a case of gastrointestinal illness, co-owner Glendora Stump was quoted as telling the York Dispatch, "The Lord takes care of us. I'm not afraid to sell my milk. I know it's not what they think it is."
Yesterday however, Terry Stump, the son of the dairy owner, was cited as saying Stump Acres hasn't sold raw milk for about two months, but the dairy has given it away to people who ask for it, adding, "We will not be giving it away. Nobody wants to see anybody getting sick."
Mobile cheese-making operations fall through the cracks; 2 dozen people feel it
The Ottawa Citizen reports that two dozen people in Eastern Ontario became ill after eating unpasteurized cheese that a farmer was not legally allowed to distribute.According to the story, the cheese was made by a "mobile cheese maker," hired by the dairy farmer to visit the farm with his factory on wheels.
In early June, the farmer, in St. Pascal-Baylon, 30 kilometres east of Ottawa, hired one of five travelling cheese makers who operate in Eastern Ontario. This product was later distributed - and sold - to neighbours, friends, relatives and classmates of a child of the farmer.
The unpasteurized cheese caused several cases of bacterial infection. Symptoms included diarrhea, stomach cramps, fevers and headaches.
While the Eastern Ontario Health Unit strongly recommends the consumption of only pasteurized milk products, in Ontario, people who make unpasteurized cheese on their farms can possess and eat what they make. However, selling or distributing such cheese - which includes even giving it away - is illegal under provincial legislation.
The story notes that unlike raw milk itself, which has been illegal to distribute in Canada since 1991, cheese made from raw milk - as far as Health Canada is concerned - is "allowed for sale and considered safe because the manufacturing process for cheese helps to eliminate many pathogens found in raw milk."
The tricky part about the case of the St. Pascal-Baylon farmer is that while the farmer himself broke the law, the mobile cheese maker did not.
While the Eastern Ontario Health Unit has identified five mobile cheese-making operations, it can't do much more than educate them about the risks and their responsibilities. Caroline Kuate, food safety program co-ordinator at the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, was quoted as saying, "These operators are not within our jurisdiction. They are under no one's jurisdiction. This is a case where they fall in the cracks."
Yeah, I expect to hear about this...
.jpg)
Ah…yes… the hard data on illnesses from raw milk, as posted yesterday on the Complete Patient by blogmaster David E. Gumpert. According to his post, a request filed last year with the CDC under the Freedom of Information Act, for data on illnesses associated with raw milk and pasteurized milk, revealed that approximately 59 people are sickened each and every year, which can be further reduced to 54 if you exclude those who became sick from imported Mexican cheese.To any health guru, I would think that 54 illnesses are 54 too many. Especially, when I’m guessing that at least 50 per cent of those sickened are children (see the table we manage on suspected and confirmed raw milk-related outbreaks). While David points out that the CDC figures may be inflated because, “Food vehicles identified are not necessarily confirmed with statistical or epidemiological evidence,” the vast majority of foodborne illnesses go unreported to start with. And I can’t help but think that for black-market food items like raw milk, underreporting is even higher than for a staple food item because so few people want to be known as a sellout. For a product with such a long list of supposed healing powers no one should be getting sick -- right?
Cheese Culture: I can't believe it's not Camembert
Now every time we open the fridge it stinks so bad from the lait cru cheese we want to pass out. But there is no question which cheese we are eating faster (and not just to get the stink out): the Monoprix pasteurized cheese is resting in the back of the fridge while we eat up the raw milk Camembert. (Incidentally, we’ve both been suffering from frequent trips to the bathroom and trying to figure out what we’ve eaten recently that would bring on such rumbling in our bowels and stinking up the bathroom nearly as much as the fridge.)
In yesterday’s news, two of France’s (and thus the world’s) top lait cru Camembert producers, Lactalis and Isigny-Sainte-Mère, announced that they are forgoing the status of “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” and switching to cheese made exclusively with heat-treated micro-filtered milk (not quite pasteurized but still an affront to purists).
Lactilis’ spokesperson, Luc Morelon said that although they recognize the importance of Camembert traditions, they’re making the change “[b]ecause consumer safety is paramount, and we cannot guarantee it 100 per cent. We cannot accept the risk of seeing our historic brands disappearing because of an accident in production." In response to his critics Morelon added, “I don't want to risk sending any more children to hospital. It's as simple as that." Others believe that Lactilis simply cannot produce the quantities they want and keep using raw milk. According to the Telegraph, Lactilis’ and Isigny’s decision to opt out has now put pressure on the AOC to accept pasteurized milk. It all boils down to business.
While the French worry about the future of Camembert and other cheeses made from raw milk, I applaud the company for understanding that an unsafe cheese can harm the culture of Camembert more than using heated milk might.
I like having a choice to buy raw milk or processed cheese as I wish, but I understand the risks involved. I also still eat sushi and would likely still dip my finger in raw cake-batter or cookie dough. But when producers are responsible for the safety of thousands, if not millions, of consumers who do not know that what they’re eating might kill them, they need to assess the risks, take measures to prevent them, and in doing so, ensure a culture of safe food.
Raw deal from raw, unpasteurized milk
.jpg)
Every week in the U.S. there is a report of unpasteurized milk testing positive for listeria or salmonella or E. coli or campylobacter (see Contamination shows up in dairy, Capital Press, May 18/07); every month there is a report of people, largely children, sickened after consuming unpasteurized milk in the misguided belief that all things natural are good.For example, in September, two children who drank raw milk from a Whatcom County dairy in Washington State became ill with E. coli O157:H7. At the same time, four children, including two 8-year-olds in San Diego County, Calif., were hospitalized with E. coli infection after consuming raw milk products.
In December 2005, 18 people in Washington and Oregon, including six children, were infected with E. coli O157:H7 after drinking unlicensed raw milk. Two of the kids almost died.
In April 2005, four cases of E. coli linked to unpasteurized milk were reported to Ontario, Canada health officials -- in this case, from an individual who routinely sold raw milk from the back of a vehicle parked in a city north of Toronto (see raw milk outbreak listings).
Unpasteurized milk is legal to sell in 28 U.S. states, in part due to the lobbying efforts of Sally Fallon and the Weston A. Price Foundation (see Advocate of fatty foods puts dietitians in a stew, Sydney Morning Herald, May. 20/07).
Fallon and her supporters claim that it is foods other than raw milk which are responsible for the hundreds of illnesses linked to raw milk.
Such claims are nonsensical and endanger public health.
Fallon and her disciples also claim that consumers should be free to choose.
Choice is good. But as the 19th-century English utilitarian philosopher, John Stuart Mill, noted, absolute choice has limits, stating, "if it (in this case the consumption of raw unpasteurized milk) only directly affects the person undertaking the action, then society has no right to intervene, even if it feels the actor is harming himself." Excused from Mill's libertarian principle are those people who are incapable of self-government -- children.
Science can be used to enhance what nature provided. Further, society has a responsibility to the many -- philosopher Mill also articulated how the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one — to use knowledge to minimize harm.
Adults, do whatever you think works to ensure a natural and healthy lifestyle, but please don't impose your dietary regimes on those incapable of protecting themselves: your kids. Continue Reading...
Crackdown on raw camel milk
City curbs roadside camel-milk vendors
05.may.07
Arab News (Saudi Arabia)
Hasan Hatrash
http://www.arabnews.com/services/print/print.asp?artid=95797&d=5&m=5&y=2007&hl=City%20Curbs%20Roadside%20Camel-Milk%20Vendors
JEDDAH -- One usually doesn’t have to travel very far in the Kingdom to run into people who are selling containers of freshly squeezed camel milk by the side of the road. But, according to this story, fans of the salty, nutrient-rich liquid will have a little bit more trouble finding their fix now that the Jeddah Municipality announced this past week that it would ban the sale of raw camel milk because of what it calls a hygienic risk.
The story says that in Jeddah’s Al-Khomrah area, where many camel herds are located, authorities have already confiscated the equipment that milk salesmen were using for their small-time operations.
Awad Al-Malki, head of the municipality branch of southern Jeddah, was cited as saying that the municipality’s anti-illegal street vendors committee has confiscated all the equipment used by camel-milk salesmen who are located in Al-Khomrah area, and that the crackdown is part of an overall strategy to reduce informal street commerce. Some 70 milk-vending spots in the city have already been raided.
Hamid Al-Harbi, a Saudi from the southern Al-Mahjar district who says he’s been drinking roadside camel milk all of his life with no complications, was quoted as saying, "I’m quite disappointed that I can’t buy fresh camel milk any more. How come they’re doing such a thing so suddenly now."
Misfir Al-Zahrani, a middle-aged Saudi living in the Ghulail district, was cited as saying that he and his family drink fresh camel milk at least once a week and that the ban of selling fresh camel milk is an annoyance, but it will not stop people from going to local farms and buying the milk there instead of at roadside stalls.
Dr. Fawzy Ahmad, a general practitioner at Al-Marwah Clinic, was cited as saying that drinking raw milk can have its health risks. Bacteria, like salmonella and listeria, he says, can be found in raw camel milk — milk that has not been pasteurized — in quantities that don’t make camels sick but can cause gastrointestinal havoc to humans.
The very young, the elderly and the infirm can have serious, even fatal, complications from bacteria that might also make healthy adults sick for a couple of days.
The pure, natural, fresh bandwagon rolls on...
Yesterday Doug posted a letter published in the Kansas State Collegian about Chipotle's decision to offer naturally raised meats (all beef and chicken eat a vegetarian diet with no animal byproducts, do not receive growth hormones or antibiotics, roam in open pasture and a clean, indoor facility and are verified as humane by independent, third-party animal welfare agenciesin its range of food products) and then today on the way back from Social Secuirty Administation in Manhattan I stop in Ray's Apple Market (grocery store in Manhattan, Kansas) for some fruit and the advertisement below is hanging from the teller's checkout computer. Disconnect between warnings & consumption - Raw milk
***Warning on raw milk from Genoa farm***
28.apr.07
The Post Standard (New York) http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2007/04/warning_on_raw_milk_from_genoa.html
.jpg)
The New York state Department of Agriculture and Markets.was cited as saying Saturday that residents of Cayuga County and surrounding counties are being warned not to drink or use unpasteurized raw milk sold from a Genoa farm because of possible bacteria contamination.Raw milk sold by the Phil Stauderman Farm, 3128 Blakely Road, Genoa, may be contaminated with Campylobacter, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, headache and muscle pain in children and young adults.
The story says that the Stauderman farm has a department permit to legally sell raw milk at the farm, according to the news release.
A routine sample taken April 16 was found to be contaminated with Campylobacter and the farm was notified of the test on April 19, the department said. The farm voluntarily suspended sales of raw milk on that date, the department said. The tests were confirmed on Friday, the department said.
