Organic Pastures Dairy Owner: Our Raw Milk Not The Source Of E. coli Outbreak
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.
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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.
