Dozens of cases of salmonella poisoning have been linked to unpasteurized milk from a farm in California, a much larger outbreak than previously reported in newly released state records. Reports indicate that as of February, at least 165 individuals had fallen ill with salmonella infections associated with products from Raw Farm in Fresno, California. Health officials state that this is the most significant salmonella outbreak related to raw milk in the United States during the past decade.
Health experts advise the public to steer clear of raw milk due to the presence of a bird flu virus circulating among U.S. dairy cows, known as Type A H5N1. This strain has been discovered in over 140 U.S. dairy herds, with high levels detected in raw milk samples.
Since October, when approximately a dozen cases were initially reported in San Diego, state and local health authorities had not provided a comprehensive update on the magnitude of the salmonella outbreak. Subsequently, documents obtained by Seattle-based food safety attorney Bill Marler revealed a continuous increase in cases tied to Raw Farm products.
Investigations linked samples from sick individuals to both the farm and a retail store, with over 60% of confirmed cases reporting consuming Raw Farm items. Although infections were reported in individuals from four states, the vast majority, 162 cases, were from California. Some affected individuals were also found to be infected with other bacteria such as campylobacter and E. coli.
Out of the reported illnesses, nearly 40% were in children under the age of 5, with twenty individuals requiring hospitalization. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. The outbreak was declared concluded on May 4, with health officials’ cooperation at the local and state levels alongside agricultural authorities.
Mark McAfee, the proprietor of Raw Farm, acknowledged his products’ involvement in the outbreak, attributing it to a single cow with salmonella contamination last autumn. Additional testing measures were promptly implemented in response to the situation. One affected individual, Jessie McGee, plans to sue Raw Farm after her 6-year-old daughter fell seriously ill and required hospitalization due to the outbreak.
McGee shared that her decision to consume Raw Farm products was based on claims of health benefits read online but regretted the choice after her children and herself fell ill. She emphasized that the supposed benefits of drinking unpasteurized milk are not worth the health risks.