Campylobacter in Raw Milk from Tucker Adkins Dairy?
One of the troubling issues about the sale of raw milk is that consumers are not adequately warned about the risks. I represent people sickened by raw milk due to contamination with Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli O157:H7 and other dangerous pathogens. Raw milk can cause kidney failure, paralysis and death. I know because I have stood by the bedsides of people who innocently drank raw milk and ended up hooked up to life support fighting for their lives.
The FDA has reported yet another outbreak associated with raw milk, this time raw milk from Tucker Adkins Dairy of York, South Carolina that health officials believe was contaminated with Campylobacter. The Tucker Dairy raw milk associated with the outbreak was distributed in North Carolina by a courier. Three people in North Carolina have confirmed cases of campylobacteriosis and there are additional "probable" cases in North Carolina.
The sale of the Tucker Adkins Dairy raw milk may have been illegal. Although retail sale of raw milk is legal in South Carolina, it is illegal to distribute raw milk in final package form for direct human consumption in interstate commerce. Retail sale of raw milk for human consumption is also illegal in North Carolina.
Until we can guarantee no innocent party will ever be harmed by raw milk, the sale of raw milk, including through herd-share arrangements, should be banned. Since that is probably not going to happen, sellers of raw milk should be required by law to post information about the risks of consuming raw milk, including the risks of kidney failure, paralysis and death. This warning should be posted on every bottle of raw milk sold and on every raw milk product.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker represents campylobacteriosis victims nationwide. He can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our free consultation form.
