New York’s Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball warns people against drinking raw milk from a Schuyler County dairy because it is contaminated.
Testing has shown that raw milk from Sunset View Creamer LLC is contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni. The dairy is at 4970 County Road 14, Odessa, NY.
As of the posting of the warning today, no illnesses have been confirmed about the implicated milk.
“A routine sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni. On Sept. 12, 2023, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on Sept. 18, 2023, confirmed the presence of Campylobacter jejuni in the raw milk sample,” according to the warning from the state agriculture department.
“The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of this harmful bacteria.”
The department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from Sunset View Creamery LLC immediately dispose of it and call the farm at 607-594-2095.
People with Campylobacter jejuni infection usually have diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the diarrhea. These symptoms usually start 2 to 5 days after the person ingests Campylobacter and last about one week.
Specific testing is required to diagnose the infection because symptoms can mimic other illnesses
Sometimes, Campylobacter infections cause complications, such as irritable bowel syndrome, temporary paralysis, and arthritis. In people with weakened immune systems, such as those with a blood disorder, with AIDS, or receiving chemotherapy, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a life-threatening infection.
“It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time,” the warning states.
“Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including campylobacteriosis.”
The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health officials across the country warn against consuming raw milk and its products.
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