Food Poisoning Law Blog : Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : PritzkerLaw : Food Safety, Outbreaks & Recalls

Raw milk sold at farmers markets in Portland, Maine will not be required to carry a warning, the city council decided last night.

The city’s health department had recommended that warnings citing the health risks of raw milk be posted on placards or handouts where raw milk was sold, but the council voted against the proposed measure calling it “unfair and arbitrary.”

Raw, or unpasteurized, milk can carry dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella, E.coli, Campylobacter and Listeria, which is why many medical and scientific organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, all recommend that milk intended for human consumption be pasteurized.

The CDC reports that raw milk accounts for the bulk of dairy-associated foodborne illness outbreaks and estimates that raw milk causes an average of eight foodborne illness outbreaks every year.

So far this year, an ongoing multistate outbreak linked to raw milk produced on a Pennsylvania farm has sickened at least 43 people with Campylobacter infections, according to state health officials. From 2009 through 2011, there were 29 foodborne illness outbreaks linked to raw milk or raw cheese. And between 1998 and 2009, there were 93 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to raw milk and raw milk products, according to the CDC. Those outbreaks sickened a total of 1,837 people, hospitalizing 195 and killing two.

If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with raw milk, contact the food safety lawyers at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

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National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker has been invited to participate in a debate about raw milk at Harvard Law School’s Food Law Society on February 16, 2012.

Raw milk, or milk from cows, sheep or goats that hasn’t been pasteurized, has become a hot topic. Enthusiasts nationwide are seeking ways to ease purchasing and production restrictions, despite warnings from health officials about its inherent danger.

Proponents say raw milk contains healthful microorganisms that pasteurized milk does not, and that drinking it can aid digestion, boost the immune system and ease the symptoms of allergies and asthma.

While there is no scientific evidence to support these claims, there is ample evidence that pasteurization saves lives by killing dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Listeria.

Raw milk products account for the bulk of all dairy product-associated foodborne illness outbreaks reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Over the 36-year period between 1973 and 2009, a whopping 82 percent were caused by raw milk or cheese made from raw milk. Between 1998 and 2009, raw milk and raw milk products caused 93 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness, according to the CDC. Those outbreaks sickened 1,837 people, 195 of whom required hospitalization, two of whom died. Almost 80 percent of the outbreaks involved at least one child or teenager. In 2011, there were at least 10 foodborne illness outbreaks linked to raw milk.

Mr. Pritzker has represented victims of raw milk outbreaks, including the family of a man who became paralyzed from the neck down after drinking raw milk that was tainted with Campylobacter.

Many medical and scientific organizations recommend pasteurization for all milk consumed by humans; these include CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, and others.

Despite its risks, the sale of raw milk is legal in some states. The science and safety or raw milk will be covered at the Harvard debate.
Participants will include:

Fred Pritzer, founder of PritzkerOlsen Law Firm
Dr. Heidi Kassenborg, director of the Dairy and Food Inspection Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Sally Fallon Morell, president of Weston A. Price Foundation
David Gumpert, author of The Raw Milk Revolution.

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Health officials in Massachusetts are trying to determine if tainted raw milk was the source of a case of brucellosis, a disease so rare in the U.S. that a 1999 New Hampshire case prompted a bioterror investigation.

Brucellosis is caused by the Brucellla bacteria and is normally seen in countries that do not have good public health or animal health programs. It's been decades since the bacteria has been found in Massachusetts livestock, state agriculture officials said. Drinking raw milk or eating unpasteurized milk products is one way humans can contract brucellosis and a number of other serious illnesses.

Here's a look at raw milk outbreaks and recalls during 2011:

November 2011 Three customers who drank raw milk from Cozy Vale Creamery, Tenino, Wash. contracted E.coli infections. The dairy recalled raw milk after E.coli was discovred in the milking parlor.

November 2011 Five children who drank milk produced by Organic Pastures in Fresno, Calif, contracted E.coli infections.

October 2011 Two people are sickened after drinking raw milk tainted with Campylobacter produced on Jerry Dell Farm in Freeville, NY.

September 2011 Pride & Joy Creamery, Granger Wash., The diary issued a recall after Shiga-toxin producing E. coli was discovered in a sample during random testing by the health deaprtment.

July 2011  Three confirmed cases of Campylobacter infection linked to raw milk at Tucker Adkins Dairy, York, S.C.

June 2011 At least seven people in Alaska are sickened after drinking raw milk produced on a Mat-Su Valley farm that was ainted with Campylobacter.

June 2011 Three people contract Q Fever after drinking raw milk contaminated with Coxiella burnetti from a Livingston County, Michigan farm.

June 2011 Sixteen people in Wisconsin contract Campylobacter infections after drinking raw milk at a school event.

April 2011 Four people in Texas are sickened including one woman who was hospitalized with a Salmonella infecttion after drinking raw milk.

Feb 2011 Raw milk is recalled from the The Country Market in Wash. after E.coli 0157:H7 is found.

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The E. coli O157:H7 strain discovered in environmental samples taken from Cozy Vale Creamery matches the strain that has sickened three people, including 2 children, according to a Washington State Department of Agriculture official.

On November 23, the Tenino, Washington-based diary issued a recall of raw milk products after routine tests by the agriculture department found E.coli O157:H7 in the milking parlor and processing areas of the dairy.

During the last three months, three Cozy Vale customers have contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections, but E. coli was never discovered in routine testing of the milk. 

Symptoms of E.coli poisoning include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody and vomiting. Some infections are mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening. Children are among those who are especially at risk. In some cases, they can develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which causes kidney failure.

The recalled raw milk products include raw whole milk, raw skim milk and raw cream with “best if used by” dates up to and including December 6. The milk and cream were sold in pint, quart, half-gallon and gallon containers were sold at the on-farm store at 7018 Churchill Road, and at the following locations:

Marlene’s Market, 2951 S. 38th St., Tacoma, WA
Marlene’s Market, 2565 S. Gateway Center Pl., Federal Way, WA
Mt. Community Co-op, 105 Carter St., Eatonville WA
Olympia Food Co-op, 3111, Pacific Ave., Olympia, WA
Olympia Food Co-op, 921 Rogers, Olympia, WA
Olympia Local Foods, 2442 Mottman Rd S.W., Turnwater, WA
Yelm Co-op, 404 1st St., Yelm, WA

Contact our law firm for a free consultation.

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Cozy Vale Creamery of Tenino, Wash. is recalling raw milk products because of possible E. coli contamination.

The recall was issued after the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)
discovered E.coli in the milking parlor and processing areas on environmental swabs taken from the dairy. Since August, three Cozy Vale customers have contracted E. coli infections.

The recall includes raw whole milk, raw skim milk and raw cream with “best if used by” dates up to and including December 6. The recalled milk products sold in pint, quart, half-gallon and gallon containers were sold at the on-farm store at 7018 Churchill Road, Tenino, WA and at the following locations:

Marlene’s Market, 2951 S. 38th St., Tacoma, WA

Marlene’s Market, 2565 S. Gateway Center Pl., Federal Way, WA

Mt. Community Co-op, 105 Carter St., Eatonville WA

Olympia Food Co-op, 3111, Pacific Ave., Olympia, WA

Olympia Food Co-op, 921 Rogers, Olympia, WA

Olympia Local Foods, 2442 Mottman Rd S.W., Turnwater, WA

Yelm Co-op, 404 1st St., Yelm WA

Although the state of Washington permits the sale of raw milk, WSDA warns consumers that there are serious potential health risks associated with it.

The E.coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen can answer legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this recall. Contact them for a free consultation by calling 1 (888) 377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or by submitting information online here. 

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Production at Organic Pastures, California’s largest producer of raw milk, was halted last week after an E.coli outbreak that sickened five children was linked to the dairy’s raw milk. While owner Mark McAfee maintains his milk is healthful and risk-free, this is not the first time the dairy has had trouble with food safety issues.

Over the last 15 months, the Fresno County Department of Health has inspected Organic Pastures 10 times. Of those, four were routine inspections where “significant violations” were found that required mandatory re-inspection. Some of these violations were for unsanitary conditions, such as a broken toilet, lack of hot water for hand washing in the bathroom sink, manure on barn walls and exit ramps and under barn mats, all of which were cited in a report from August 24, 2010. Other reports site the lack of a concrete pad at a docking station and beneath a mobile barn.

• On September 12, 2008, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA) issued a recall for raw cream manufactured at the dairy after tests showed it was contaminated with Campylobacter.
• On September 7, 2007, the CFDA issued a recall for raw cream manufactured at the dairy after Listeria monocytogenes bacteria turned up on a routine inspection.
• On September 21, 2006, the CFDA issued a recall after four children contracted E. coli infections after consuming raw milk products from the dairy.

Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli are all dangerous pathogens that can cause serious sometimes fatal infections. With all foodborne illnesses, children are among those most a risk for serious complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which can lead to kidney failure.

A press release on the Organic Pastures website states:

“It is a common goal of Organic Pastures and the California Department of Public Health to
rapidly investigate any linkage between these cases and raw milk. Each month CDFA tests
all Organic Pastures’ products for pathogens, in addition Organic Pastures uses a third party for pathogen testing multiple times per week. All these tests have been negative. It
has been reported to us by the California Department of Public Health that as of today all
products collected from the ill patients have been negative for E. Coli 0157:H7.”

A review of all CFDA inspections does support the claim that the dairy is inspected each month. Four of the 10 inspections during the last 15 months were mandatory re-inspections. Had they not been required, the dairy would have had six inspections during a 15 month period.

In a USA Today story, McAfee says that because California has no test evidence that shows children drank contaminated milk, he finds the case "highly suspicious." But as Steve Lyle, of the CFDA countered in the story that "milk is perishable, so the product consumed by the children was not available for testing" by the time they got sick "and that's typically to be expected."

Anyone experiencing abdominal cramping or bloody diarrhea after consuming raw milk products should seek immediate medical attention. Anyone with questions regarding an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the national food safety law firm PritzkerOslen P.A. for a free consultation.

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Mark McAfee, the owner of Organic Pastures in Kerman, Calif., says the raw milk his dairy produces has never been a health threat and is not the source of the E. coli outbreak that has sickened five children, according to a story in the Fresno Bee.

On Tuesday, the California Department of Food and Agricultural issued a recall and quarantine of Organic Pastures raw dairy products, after health officials discovered that five children who contracted E. coli infections had all consumed raw milk from Organic Pastures before becoming ill.

The sale of raw milk, or milk that has not been pasteurized, is legal in some states including California. With its products in 400 stores and a customer base of about 75,000 people, Organic Pastures is California’s largest producer of raw milk and raw milk products.

On Wednesday, McAfee appealed the recall and quarantine saying he is sure his dairy products are not the source of the outbreak and that there is no risk in consuming them. “There is no current threat and there has not been a threat," McAfee told the Fresno Bee. Instead, he said, the source may have been raw milk products from another dairy. McAfee’s appeal was denied. E. coli has not been detected in laboratory testing conducted thus far on of samples from Organic Pastures.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea. Children are among those most at risk and can in some cases, including this outbreak, develop a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which can lead to kidney failure.

Health officials urge anyone who developed symptoms after consuming raw milk to seek medical attention. Those with legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the E. coli team at the food safety law firm PritzkerOslen for a free consultation. 

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All five victims of the Organic Pastures raw milk E. coli O157:H7 outbreak are children, three of whom required hospitalization for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure.

Enthusiasts believe raw milk- milk from cows, sheep or goats that has not been pasteurized, contains healthful microorganisms that pasteurized milk does not. While there is no scientific evidence to support that claim, there is ample evidence that pasteurization kills dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, that pose serious health risks, especially to children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

Despite its risks, the sale of raw milk is legal in some states. Raw milk and raw milk products caused 93 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness between 1998 and 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) Those outbreaks sickened 1,837 people, 195 of whom required hospitalization, two of whom died. 

“One of the troubling issues about the sale of raw milk is that consumers are not adequately warned about the risks,” said Fred Pritzker, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen P.A., a national leader in food safety law. “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.”

Earlier this week, a recall and quarantine of raw milk products produced by Organic Pastures of Fresno County, California was announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford.

Under the recall, all Organic Pastures raw dairy products with the exception of cheese aged a minimum of 60 days are to be pulled immediately from retail shelves and consumers are strongly urged not to eat or drink any of the products. Until further notice, Organic Pastures may not produce raw milk products for the retail market. The order also affects Organic Pastures raw butter, raw cream, raw colostrum, and a raw product labeled “Qephor.”

Symptoms of an E. coli infection include severe abdominal cramping and watery or bloody diarrhea. Officials urge anyone experiencing these symptoms after consuming the products under reacll to seek medical attention. Anyone with legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the foodborne illness experts at PritzkerOlsen for a free consultation.
 

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This week, as New Jersey state senators ponder proposed legislation that would legalize the sale of raw milk, California food safety officials are recalling and quarantining Organic Pastures raw milk products after five children who drank raw milk from the dairy contracted E. coli infections. Three of the children were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of E. coli infections that can damage the kidneys and central nervous system and cause kidney failure, seizures, coma, and stroke.

Raw milk is milk that hasn’t been pasteurized. Proponents say drinking it can aid digestion, boost the immune system and ease the symptoms of allergies and asthma. There is no scientific evidence to back these claims. There is, however, a mountain of evidence that consuming raw milk can be dangerous and that pasteurization saves lives.

Raw milk is responsible for one of the deadliest outbreaks of foodborne illness in U.S. history, the 1911 streptococcus outbreak that killed 48 people and sickened more than 2,000,according to Preventative Medicine and Hygiene, by Milton Joseph Rosenau.

Raw milk products account for the bulk of all dairy product-associated outbreaks of foodborne illness reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over the 36-year period between 1973 and 2009, a whopping 82 percent were caused by raw milk or cheese made from raw milk. Raw milk and raw milk products caused 93 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness between 1998 and 2009, according to the CDC. Those outbreaks sickened 1,837 people, 195 of whom required hospitalization, two of whom died.

“It is important to note that a substantial proportion of the raw milk-associated disease burden falls on children; among the 93 raw dairy product outbreaks from 1998 to 2009, 79% involved at least one person less than 20 years old.”

Most illnesses associated with the consumption of raw milk are caused by E. coli: O157, Campylobacter, or Salmonella, all of which can create serious, sometimes fatal infections. For all foodborne illnesses, children are among those considered most at risk.

The United States has been aware of the dangers of raw milk since the turn of the last century when the diseases it spread included: tuberculosis, typhoid fever, diptheria, scarlet fever, septic sore throat, malta fever and foot and mouth disease, according to Preventative Medicine and Hygiene. Between 1907 and 1911, raw milk caused five outbreaks that sickened more than 4000 people in the Boston area alone, according to Rosenau’s research. In Washington, during the same time period, 10 percent of all typhoid fever cases were traced to raw milk.

Those outbreaks were the impetus for improving the safety of milk through pasteurization. Pasteurization began in the 1920s and was widespread by 1950, according to the CDC:

“It led to dramatic reductions in the number of people getting sick from diseases that had previously been transmitted commonly by milk. Most public health professionals and health care providers consider pasteurization to be one of public health’s most effective food safety interventions ever!”

Many medical and scientific organizations recommend that consumers drink only pasteurized milk. They include: the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, and others. 

Sources: Preventative Medicine and Hygiene, by Milton Joseph Rosenau.

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Pride & Joy Creamery, LLC of Granger, Washington, has issued a recall of raw milk because testing of the raw milk by the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) discovered that the product was contaminated with Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli.

WSDA and other public health officials are exploring the possibility that there has been human illness linked to this milk.

The recalled milk is sold only in gallon, half gallon and quart containers and bears the expiration dates of 9/30/2011 and 9/31/11. It was sold from an on-farm store at 2145 Liberty Road in Granger, WA and from the following retail outlets in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Skagit counties:

• Sno-isle
, 2804 Grand Avenue
, Everett, WA 98201
• Truhealth
,18001 Bothell-Everett
, Suite 109
,Bothell, WA 98012
• Marlenes Market
,2951 S. 38th ST.
Tacoma, WA 98409
• Marlenes Market,
 2565 s. Gateway Center Place
Federal Way, WA 98003
• Skagit Valley Food,
 202 S. 1st Street
Mt. Vernon, WA 98273
• Manna Mills,
 21705 66th Ave, West
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
• Madison Market
,1600 Madison
Seattle, WA 98122
•  Nature’s Market, 
26011 104th Ave, SE
Kent, WA 98030
• Sunshine Corner, Nutrition
15220 SE 272th, Suite F
Kent, WA 98042

E.coli infections can severe diarrhea, stomach cramps and bloody stool. Symptoms generally appear three to four days after exposure, but can take as long as nine days to appear. Health officials are recommending that anyone experiencing these symptoms contact a health care provider. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), is a serious complication of E. coli poisoning in which red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. Infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk.

 Source: http://agr.wa.gov/News/2011/pridejoycreameryrecall.aspx

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A celebration for fourth graders at North Cape Elementary School in Franksville, Wisconsin is associated with at least 16 cases of food poisoning. Raw milk served at the event may be the source of the illnesses. The Western Racine County Health Department has not pinpointed raw milk as the source, but the investigation is ongoing.

Raw milk is a dangerous product. Past outbreaks have been caused by raw milk contaminated with one or more of the following pathogens:

• Campylobacter
• E. coli
• Listeria
• Salmonella.

Our attorneys are representing a man who drank raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria. He developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and is now totally paralyzed, except for minimal movement of his head and the ability to blink his eyes. He was placed on ventilation equipment and is still unable to breathe on his own.

Our attorneys are also representing several people, children and adults, who were sickened by raw milk cheese contaminated with E. coli O157 that was served at Costco stores during cheese tasting events. One of our clients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and almost died.

Given the dangers associated with raw milk, it should never have been served to fourth graders without their parents’ consent. Raw milk and raw milk products, for example cheese, should never be served at events where a child or anyone could consume it without knowing what it is or how dangerous it is.

Attorney Fred Pritzker can be contacted at 1-888-377-8900.

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Raw milk food poisoning concerns have been pushed aside in New Jersey, where the Assembly has passed a bill to legalize the sale of unpasteurized milk. The measure advanced this week on a lopsided vote, but the New Jersey Senate has not taken action yet.

The Assembly bill in New Jersey would allow raw milk sales on the farms where it is produced. Specific testing of the product is required and the state would conduct health tests on the cows. This pending legislation goes against the public health advice of many state health departments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA, several medical groups, and other experts. That's because it is proven science that raw milk harbors dangerous pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Campylobacter.

These organisms can pass through a cow's udders, or milk received from the cows can become cross-contaminated by germs spread in milking parlors through manure. Pasteurization, a process that kills bacteria with high heat, was adapted for the very purpose of keeping people safe from foodborne illness. Raw milk enthusiasts falsely claim health benefits about raw milk and are incorrect in contending that pasteurization strips milk of valuable nutrients.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen has been representing raw milk food poisoning victims for many years and currently represents a man in Pennsylvania who was paralyzed as a result of a Campylobacter infection he contracted from contaminated raw milk sold in a health store. The man's infection developed into Guillain-Barre' Syndrome (GBS), a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.  

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A Vermont group advocating for the use of raw milk to make butter, cheese and other solid fare received a warning letter from the state agriculture agency that its demonstration classes are against the law. The group, called Rural Vermont, canceled the classes in lieu of paying fines, but voiced objections. 

Raw milk is a nationally recognized public health threat that leads to outbreaks of E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and other potentially deadly human pathogens. Vermont adopted a law in 2009 legalizing raw milk sales of up to 160 quarts daily, but farms can only directly sell to consumers for "fluid consumption.'' 

In Pennsylvania last year, a man who legally bought raw milk from a 'healthy" foods retailer was left paralyzed from an infection of Campylobacter -- one of several victims of an outbreak that officials linked to the raw milk producer, Pasture Maid Creamery. The man is represented in a raw milk lawsuit by national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. The firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and has collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning while also working to prevent outbreaks.

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E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker told Minnesota Public Radio today that Minnesota state officials would make rare news if they were to file criminal charges against a raw milk farmer from Gibbon, Minnesota, who currently is under fire on contempt of court allegations.

"The level of prosecution in foodborne illness cases is practically nil," said  Pritzker, a national attorney based in Minneapolis who specializes in seeking damages for food contamination victims.  "In all the years that I've been doing this I have yet to see a manufacturer, producer, actually prosecuted and convicted for any outbreaks.'' 

The audio of the MPR report can be heard below:

Steil and MPR have provided consistent and comprehensive coverage of the story.

The Minnesota case began to unfold last spring when state epidemiologists traced an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 to raw milk dairy products from the farm of Michael Hartmann. State investigators inspected the farm last spring after associating its products to eight E. coli illnesses. It was re-inspected in October after the state linked seven more cases of food borne illness to Hartmann milk, this time Campylobacter and cryptosporidium. Hartmann was defiant and more conflict arose late last year when the Hartmann farm was caught selling its products in the Twin Cities against a state prohibition. The contempt of court charges arose when state officials reported that raw milk products embargoed by the state as unsafe had disappeared from Hartfmann's farm.

For his part, Hartmann has denied wrongdoing and has accused the state of overstepping its authority. But the state says in its contempt of court brief that Hartmann "has consistently refused to comply with food law for more than a decade." According to MPR, state authorities have said the case could warrant felony charges.

Mr. Prtizker, founder and president of national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., said the most recent example of a criminal investigation in a foodborne illness outbreak dates to the 2008-2009 peanut product Salmonella outbreak linked to now-defunct  Peanut Corporation of America. Nine deaths and more than 700 illnesses were attributed to the company's tainted peanut butter, peanut paste and other items. 

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Raw milk has become attractive to some Americans looking for food products that are natural or at least not heavily processed. But because raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products pose a risk of severe illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been reaching out to educate consumers about health hazards.

The latest effort is a collection of three dramatic videos grouped together on a website called "CDC -- Real Stories of the Dangers of Raw Milk.'' One is from a California woman whose 7-year-old son fell ill. Another is from a single mom from Connecticut who was sickened after trying raw milk  because she had trouble digesting lactose. A third is about a Missouri family who tried goat's milk with horrible results.

E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Campylobacter are three of the pathogens that can contaminate raw milk and potentially kill those who become severely infected.  National food safety law firm PritzerOlsen, P.A., currently represents a Pennsylvania man who was paralyzed from complications of Campylobacter that he contracted from consuming contaminated raw milk. Many studies have shown that pasteurization does not significantly change the nutritional value of milk – pasteurized milk is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Heat slightly affects a few of the vitamins found in milk--  thiamine, vitamin B12, and vitamin C-- but milk is only a minor source of these vitamins.

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Minnesota agriculture officials this week confiscated about 400 gallons of raw milk that a Gibbon farmer delivered to a house in a suburb of Minneapolis where customers were waiting to pick up their orders, according to search warrant documents obtained by Minnesota Public Radio. No charges were filed, but the action appears to be part of an ongoing state investigation that began this summer with an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 that public health investigators linked to the Hartmann farm in Gibbon. The farm has been under state orders to stop selling raw, unpasteurized milk.

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by E. coli Attorney Fred Pritzker

An article in the Denver Post today tells the story of the Pierce family in Colorado. Two of their children were part of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that was linked to Billy Goat Dairy south of Longmont, Colorado. The children contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections that developed into hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness that causes kidney failure and can lead to brain damage, heart problems, blindness, pancreatitis and death.  

The children were in the hospital for three weeks. I have stood by the bed of a child sickened with HUS and looked into the faces of anguished parents. To add to the tragedy of these cases, E. coli O157:H7 and the resulting HUS are preventable with basic sanitation measures.

In the Denver Post article, it says the owner of Billy Goat Dairy is now taking measures to prevent E. coli O157:H7. Why weren’t those measures in place before he distributed milk to consumers? 

He removed a manure pile in the goat pasture, put in a gutter system to drain water outside the milk parlor, bought a commercial refrigerator and dishwasher, and is working on a shareholder handbook that suggests such safety tips as not leaving milk in the car while running errands on the way home from the dairy.

Isn’t it obvious that a pile of manure that can harbor dangerous pathogens like E. coli shouldn’t be in the pasture with the goats that are being milked and that water that could be contaminated with the same should not flow into the milking area? Why was the dairy able to operate when it didn’t have a commercial refrigerator or dishwasher?

Colorado does not allow the sale of raw milk, but it does allow people to become part owners in herd-sharing operations and have access to the raw milk produced by the herd. State legislators need to immediately either eliminate this option or give the Colorado Department of Agriculture the authority and direction to enact strict, enforceable regulations regarding specific measures dairies must take before they can distribute raw milk to anyone.

The children sickened in this outbreak did not sign a contract not to sue Billy Goat Dairy. They have legal rights and an avenue to pursue medical expenses and compensation for pain and suffering. Contact me for more information about your child’s legal rights.

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A second child has been hospitalized with severe illness after drinking unpasteurized goat milk  from Billy Goat Dairy in Longmont, Colorado.

That is the report from Boulder County Public Health, which noted that the first child hospitalized on June 27 remains hospitalized.

Lab tests have confirmed that non-pasteurized milk products from Billy Goat Dairy are associated with illness in 30 people, according to the health agency.

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The number of E. coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter illnesses in people who reported drinking raw goat milk from Billy Goat Dairy in Longmont, Colorado, has grown from 16 to 24.

CBS 4 television news in Denver quoted a Boulder County health official with the revised number of cases in this Colorado raw milk outbreak. The station said the dairy remains closed by the health department for violations "for issues like sanitation and labeling.''

It is illegal to sell unpasteurized milk in Colorado because of the human health risk due to pathogens. But health officials have reported that Billy Goat Dairy complies with the law by distributing its raw milk products to customers who own buy shares in dairy animals.

At least two children have been hospitalized in this outbreak.

Serious cases of Campylobacter infection can lead to permanent paralysis and Guillain-Barre' syndrome. Law firm Pritzker Olsen currently represents a Pennsylvania man in a raw milk lawsuit related to paralysis he suffered from Campylobacter.

Serious cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) -- diseases that can lead to stroke, brain damage, hearth problems and damage to the central nervous system.

To contact Pritzker Olsen for a free consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online contact form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is a national leader in foodborne illness litigation with direct experience in E. coli raw milk outbreaks and Campylobacter raw milk outbreaks.

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The NBC television news affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has featured national food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker for his views on raw milk.

The topic has been a hot one in America's Dairyland ever since Governor Jim Doyle vetoed a bill earlier this year that would have legalized raw milk sales.

As photojournalist Mike Fisher reported on NBC26, some Wisconsin farmers continue their fight to sell raw milk despite opposition from the dairy industry, public health officials, pediatricians, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"I think the Governor is right, I'm representing people all over the country in raw milk cases who have been harmed grievously by drinking raw milk." 

 

Click here for a more in-depth look into the dangers of raw milk

Mr. Pritzker and his firm are involved in virtually every national outbreak of foodborne illness and they have collected large sums on behalf of people injured or killed by adulterated food. In addition, the firm is devoted to educating the public about food safety issues and advocating for badly needed food safety legislation. Pritzker Olsen has pushed for increased funding for the federal, state and local agencies charged with protecting our food.

 

Mr. Pritzker and members of his firm are frequent commentators on food safety issues and have been interviewed by and profiled in a number of media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and CNN.

 

He has received numerous accolades including selection by his peers as one of The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and one of Minnesota’s Top 100 Lawyers. He is also a Civil Trial Specialist certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is a former president of the Minnesota Association of Justice and a former governor of the American Association of Justice.

 

Mr. Pritzker received his B.A. with honors from Northwestern University in 1972 and his J.D. cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1976.

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Two school-age children who drank raw milk from the Hartmann dairy farm have developed infections of E. coli O157:H7 in an outbreak that has grown to eight illnesses since May 26.

The Minnesota Department of Health's latest update on the Hartmann milk E. coli outbreak also said the third new case is an infant who lives in the same household as one of the first five cases.

The state said 28 environmental and animal samples obtained by health officials from the Hartmann farm in Gibbon have now tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Twenty-six samples had the same DNA fingerprint as the outbreak strain. These positive samples include environmental samples from the dairy barn where the cows are milked, the health agency said.

The strain of E. coli O157:H7 that defines the Hartmann outbreak has not previously been found in Minnesota.

This outbreak includes a toddler who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that occurs in 5 to 15 percent of people infected by E. coli O157:H7. A person of any age can develop HUS, but children are the most susceptible. Possible injuries extend far beyond kidney failure to a person's neurological and cardiovascular systems.

Pritzker Olsen, which is based in Minnesota, currently represents a Pennsylvania man who was paralyzed from food poisoning he suffered recently from drinking contaminated raw milk. Our firm is a leading practitioner of food borne illness litigation and we have handled many HUS cases for families seeking fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other harms.

To talk to an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker Olsen about food poisoning legal options, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the far right side of this Web page. 

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A state health official is worried that the illness count in Minnesota's raw milk E. coli outbreak could increase as investigators continue to probe the outbreak's association with raw milk from the Hartmann Dairy Farm, also known as M.O.M.'s.

The Star Tribune reported that state officials have little doubt that the Gibbon, Minnesota, dairy farm produced the raw milk containing  E. coli O157:H7. The Department of Health announced Wednesday that four E. coli infections are considered to be part of the outbreak because they have matching genetic fingerprints.

Three of the four were hospitalized, including a toddler who developed life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

"I am concerned that we are going to hear about more cases,"  Dr. Kirk Smith, supervisor of state Health Department foodborne disease investigations, told the Star Tribune. It often takes up to two weeks for cases to surface, he added.

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A Minnesota toddler has been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after consuming raw milk, according to the Star Tribune.

The Minnesota HUS case is part of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Three of the four E. coli cases are linked to unpasteurized milk produced at the Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minnesota, also known as M.O.M.s, or Minnesota Organic Milk.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by damage and destruction of the red blood cells, which leads to a lower than normal number of red blood cells (a condition called anemia), blood clots, and damage to blood vessel walls. Complications of HUS are severe and can include the following:

• Hemolytic anemia and associated blood complications
• Abnormal kidney function
• HUS Kidney failure (renal failure) that may require a kidney transplant (renal transplant) - illness accompanying kidney failure is called uremia (develops when urea and other waste products are retained in the blood)
• Gall stones - probably caused by rapid hemolysis, breaking open of red blood cells and the release of hemoglobin
• Elevated pancreatic enzyme levels that could lead to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and or HUS pancreatitis
• Central Nervous System (CNS) disturbances such as irritablilty, behavior changes, disorientation, delerium, hallucinations, dizziness and tremors
• HUS Seizures
• HUS Coma
• HUS Stroke
• HUS Encephalopathy
• Respiratory disease syndrome
• Convulsions
• Heart problems, including heart attack (myocardial infarction), cardio myopathy, cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure (HUS heart attack and heart failure)
• Cortical blindness, caused by damage to the visual area in the brain's occipital cortex
• HUS Thrombocytopenia (platelet deficiency in the blood)
• Death

Many people who suffer this devastating illness have life-long and very severe medical problems that show up long after the acute phase of the illness is over. This is one reason why it is important to contact an HUS lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

As in this case, many HUS victims are children. Their parents suffer along with them. The fear and uncertainty of loving a child with chronic medical problems is a constant stressor that intrudes on the parents and siblings of a child with HUS.

A recent medical journal article supports the notion that the impact of HUS is not limited to the disease survivor. The paper, Emotional and Behavioral Changes in Parents of Children Affected by Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Associated With Verocytotoxin-Producing Escherichia Coli: A Qualitative Analysis, concludes:

This [data] demonstrated that intense emotional distress was commonplace at the 1-year follow-up, demonstrating that emotional strain is present long after the acute phase of the child’s illness. The finding that fear of unknown long-term repercussions, relapse, and reinfection were still causing distress and rumination 1 year later suggests that dealing with an infected child is chronic stressor…

On a personal note, my wife and I are the parents of 25 year-old young man with a genetic disorder characterized by physical and cognitive challenges. Loving a child with medical issues is one of the most challenging problems faced by parents. It affects virtually every family decision and not a day goes by without its consequences reverberating throughout the home.

Are parents compensated for this emotional stress? The answer is two-fold: it depends on the law of the state in which the illness occurred and, sadly, not enough.

Many states only allow recovery for the diseased individual. Some allow recovery, but only in cases in which the parent was in the “zone of danger” (meaning they were at risk for injury as well). Fewer still recognize the obvious harm and loss that parents suffer when their children face a life of medical problems related to E. coli O157:H7-induced Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. It’s never right when common sense and the medical literature recognizes a problem for which the law offers little or no remedy.

For a free consultation with an attorney, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submit our online free consultation form.

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State health officials have linked three cases of E. coli O157 poisoning with raw milk from Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minn. The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are continuing to investigate a cluster of four E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that all have the same “pulsed field gel electrophoresis” (PFGE) patterns, or DNA fingerprint. Three of the four cases report a link to milk from Hartmann Farm; the fourth case is under investigation. Three of the four people were hospitalized as a result of their illness; one case has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The Minnesota Department of Health urges anyone who may have recently purchased milk from the Hartmann Dairy Farm, also known as M.O.M.’s, to discard the product and not consume it. The milk may be labeled organic and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized. In addition, consumers should not eat cheese, ice cream or other dairy products from the farm, which also may have been made from raw, unpasteurized milk.

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 illness typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea.People typically become ill two to five days after eating contaminated food. E. coli O157:H7 disease sometimes leads to a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure and can occur a week or more after the onset of diarrhea. People who have developed symptoms after consuming unpasteurized milk should seek immediate medical attention. Those most at risk of developing complications from E. coli infection include the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Minnesota law prohibits most raw milk sales, except for occasional purchases directly at the farm where the milk is produced. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture investigates complaints and cases of food-borne illness associated with the sale of raw milk. Enforcement actions can be taken in cases when sales of raw milk are identified and people become ill from consuming the raw milk.

Officials from both agencies warn the public against drinking raw milk because it may contain harmful bacteria that can cause life-threatening illnesses. Raw milk is not treated or pasteurized to remove disease-causing bacteria.

Pasteurization is the only effective method for eliminating the bacteria in raw milk and milk products. Pasteurization uses heat applied for a length of time sufficient to destroy harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 without significantly changing milk's nutritional value. Despite claims to the contrary, the body of scientific evidence shows no meaningful difference in the nutritional value of pasteurized and unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization prevents a variety of infections that can be spread by consumption of milk. All milk shipped between states is required, by law, to be pasteurized.

Between 1973 and 1992, 46 outbreaks associated with raw milk consumption were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An additional 45 outbreaks were reported to CDC between 1998 and May 2005, accounting for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations, and two deaths.

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Food safety advocates scored a victory today when Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle vetoed legislation that would have permitted sales of raw milk on state dairy farms.

Doyle was under pressure from advocates of unpasteurized milk who protested loudly about  liberty and choice. But public health professionals in every corner of the state lobbied for continued prohibition against public sale of raw dairy products because disease-causing bacteria is inherent without pasteurization as a kill-step.

Joining the medical lobby was Wisconsin's $26 billion dairy industry, which feared image problems from inevitable raw milk outbreaks of Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter and Listeria.

Food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen was on the winning side of the debate, arguing in editorials that the state's obligation is to prevent food poisoning whenever possible, saving lives. If Governor Doyle had signed the raw milk bill, he would have gone against the scientific advice of his own state health department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

Besides protecting the state's consumers, Doyle set an example for other states besieged by activists who push legalization of raw milk based on junk science and free-choice rhetoric.

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Wisconsin has foolishly legalized the sale of raw milk on 60-35 vote by its Assembly, rejecting warnings from its own disease experts, doctors, researchers, child safety experts and farm bureau.

If signed by Gov. Jim Doyle, the bill will put the state's endorsement on a product labeled as dangerous to human health by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the USDA and the FDA -- not to mention its own state department of health.

In the Pittsburgh area right now, a 67-year-old man is fighting for his life on a respirator after being paralyzed from consuming raw milk that later tested positive for the pathogen Campylobacter. James Orchard and his wife are represented by Pritzker Olsen, a national food safety law firm that has actively supported banning raw milk sales.

Wisconsin has set itself up for more raw milk E. coli outbreaks and raw milk Salmonella outbreaks -- disease clusters that will seriously injure and eventually kill consumers who expect what they are drinking is safe because the state legalized it.

Despite quackery spewed by some evangelical supporters of raw milk, there is no nutritional difference between raw milk and milk that has been pasteurized to kill microscopic bugs that cause extremely painful and often bloody diarrhea and other symptoms.

For a certain number of victims of raw milk food poisoning, there also are long-term consequences. As is the case of Mr. Orchard, Campylobacter can lead to Guillain-Barre' syndrome. Salmonella can lead to Reiter's syndrome and E. coli can lead hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children.

Wisconsin is still known as America's Dairyland, despite being eclipsed in milk production many years ago by California. Wisconsin health officials and farm organizations who worked to defeat the bill can only hope it won't be renewed when it sunsets in 2011. 

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Four people have fallen ill in Connecticut after consuming raw milk that may have been contaminated with E. coli. The raw milk was produced by the Town Farm Dairy in Simsbury, Connecticut, and the farm has since stopped the production and sale of all milk products.  Investigators say that drinking raw milk from Town Farm Dairy was a common link.

Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes.  Currently, 21 states require that all milk products for sale be pasteurized, while 25 allow the production of raw milk.  However, federal regulations by the FDA require that all milk products produced for interstate sale be pasteurized.  According to courant.com, Connecticut allows the sale of raw milk, but it must be labeled saying that the product contains “organisms that may be harmful to human health.”

Town Farm Dairy was originally shut down by its owner in 2003, but was reopened recently by a group known as Friends of Town Farm Dairy.  The farm is also the only one in the state of Connecticut that is a certified organic dairy farm that has retail and wholesale distribution.  The group running the dairy had hired farmers to run daily operations, but the farmers left July 1, leaving the group’s board members and volunteers to operate the farm. The milk was purchased with sell-by dates of June 24, July 4, and July 16, which was during the transition period of the farmers leaving.  The timing of the outbreak questions whether or not enough attention was being paid to the safety of the dairy products during the transition.

For information on legal representation, please contact our law firm:

• 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free)
• Email our lawyers (the messages in this account are reviewed by our lawyers)
• Submit our E. coli case review form (this form is reviewed by our lawyers)

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