E. coli Lawyer Will Join Harvard University Panel for Lively Debate over The “Insane Risks” of Raw Milk
Raw milk litigation, the raw milk movement and the pure science behind raw milk will make a splash together on February 16 in a national food safety debate hosted by the Harvard Law School Food Law Society on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The participants will feature national E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzer of the 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 and David Gumpert, author of The Raw Milk Revolution.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk
products like raw milk cheese are to blame for 1,614 illnesses in the U.S. from 1998 to 2008. Two of the
victims died and 187 were hospitalized. Mr. Pritzker has represented victims of raw milk outbreaks, including the family of a Pennsylvania man who was paralyzed from his neck down after drinking raw milk from a local health food store that was unknowingly contaminated with Campylobacter.
The Minneapolis law firm he founded is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. PritzkerOlsen has recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning, including raw milk outbreaks.
“It’s insane for states to give farmers the choice of salling raw milk when science has proven that raw milk is no more nutritious than pasteurized milk,” Pritzker has said in previous appearances. “It’s a trap that will continue to inflct an enormous toll on families who will be stricken by illness.”
Pritzker and Kassenborg adhere strongly to the mainstream view that unpasteurized milk is unsafe and especially dangerous for young children, pregnant women, the elderly, infants and people who have weakened immune systems. Besides Campylobacter, raw milk can carry E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, or other potentially lethal pathogens spread by the feces of cows.
Just last year there were at least 10 outbreaks across the country spawned by various pathogens. Four of the outbreaks were caused by toxic E. coli, including three in Washington state alone. Human infections of Shiga toxin-producing types of E. coli lead to a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in 8 to 10 percent of children under age 5 (even previously health children), and HUS is fatal 5 percent of the time. In addition HUS survivors often suffer from lifelong medical issues, including the need for kidney transplants in some.
CA Raw Milk Outbreak Traced to Organic Pastures Dairy
The California raw milk outbreak that sickened five children last year, sending three of them to the hospital with E. coli HUS kidney failure, has been traced definitively to Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County.
Ten swabs taken from various surfaces at the facility tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Two of them had the same, identical DNA fingerprint of the strain that sickened the kids. The results were relayed to farm officials in a letter from the California Department of Public Health that became public this week. An offical at the farm was quoted by the Associated Press as saying they accept the findings but are puzzled by the location of the germs — away from milk production areas.
The Organic Pastures E. coli outbreak prompted state officials last year to quarantine the operation’s raw milk products for about a month. All five children had consumed raw, unpasteurized milk from the company, which made the farm the likely source of the outbreak. The quarantine was lifted December 16 after sanitation requirements were fulfilled.
Raw milk has been found to contain numerous pathogens that can cause serious illness, including Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Yersinia and Brucella and the bacteria that cause bovine tuberculosis. Pasteurization was developed many years ago as a way to reduce diseases that were commonly caused by raw milk, but the practice of selling raw milk has continued at great risk to consumers.
If your child has been diagnosed with a an E. coli infection after drinking Organic Pastures raw milk, you may have a claim against Organic Pastures for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages. Contact our attorneys for a free consultation.
E. coli at Cozy Vale Creamery Prompts Raw Milk Recall
Raw milk products produced at Cozy Vale Creamery in Tenino, Wash. are being recalled due to because possible E. coli contamination.
The recall was announced after the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) took environmental swabs from the dairy and discovered E.coli in the milking parlor and processing areas. Three Cozy Vale customers have had E. coli illnesses since August.
Raw milk products included in the recall are whole milk, skim milk and cream with “best if used by” dates up to and including December 6. The recalled milk is sold in in pint, quart, half-gallon and gallon containers 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
The sale of raw milk is permitted in Washington state, however WSDA warns consumers that serious, potential health risks are associated with it.
Contact the E.coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen for a free consultation regarding an illness or hospitalization associated with this recall.
Organic Pastures Raw Milk Linked to E. coli and HUS Outbreak in California
I represent people sickened by raw milk due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7 and other dangerous pathogens. Raw milk can cause kidney failure, brain damage, 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. I have one client who is paralyzed from the neck down after drinking raw milk.
Every outbreak linked to raw milk is a tragedy that could have been prevented. Today, the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced a recall and quarantine of raw milk after an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections was linked by epidemiological evidence to Organic Pastures of Fresno County. Five children were infected with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 after drinking raw milk produced by Organic Pastures. These children are residents of Contra Costa, Kings, Sacramento, and San Diego counties.
Three of the five children were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that may lead to kidney failure, stroke, brain damage, pancreatitis, heart failure and a host of other serious medical problems. My experience is that parents who let their children drink raw milk believe raw milk is the healthiest option. The parents are not told that raw milk can contain pathogens so dangerous that their child could be permanently disabled or killed. They are not told that young children are at greater risk of contracting these infections and getting really sick from them.
Below is information about raw milk from the CDC:
Raw milk can carry harmful germs that can make you very sick or kill you. If you’re thinking about drinking raw milk because you believe it has health benefits, consider other options.
Trying to decide about raw milk?
Developing a healthy lifestyle is a process with many decisions and steps. One step you might be thinking about is adding raw milk to your diet. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs. Germs include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It’s important to understand the risks of drinking raw milk, especially because you may be hearing claims about the supposed “benefits” of raw milk.
Raw milk contains bacteria, and some of them can be harmful. So, if you’re thinking about consuming raw milk because you believe that it is a good source of beneficial bacteria, you need to know that it isn’t and you may instead get sick from the harmful bacteria. If you think that certain types of bacteria may be beneficial to your health, consider getting them from foods that don’t involve such a high risk. For example, so-called probiotic bacteria are sometimes added to pasteurized fermented foods, such as yogurt and kefir.
Milk and products made from milk need minimal processing, called pasteurization, which can be done by heating the milk briefly (for example, heating it to 161°F for about 20 seconds). When milk is pasteurized, some bacteria remain in it, but the disease-causing ones are killed. Harmful germs usually don’t change the look, taste, or smell of milk, so only when milk has been pasteurized can you be confident that these germs are not present. To ensure that milk is safe, processors rapidly cool it after pasteurization, practice sanitary handling, and store milk in clean, closed containers at 45°F or below.
Remember, you can’t look at, smell, or taste a bottle of raw milk and tell if it’s safe to drink. Make the best decision for the health of your family. If you want to keep milk in your family’s diet, protect them by not giving them raw milk. Even healthy adults can get sick from drinking raw milk. If you’re thinking about drinking raw milk because you believe it has health benefits, consider other options.
Who is at greatest risk of getting sick from drinking raw milk?
The risk of getting sick from drinking raw milk is greater for infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS, than it is for healthy school-aged children and adults. But, it is important to remember that healthy people of any age can get very sick or even die if they drink raw milk contaminated with harmful germs.
What are the risks associated with drinking raw milk?
Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can make you very sick or kill you. While it is possible to get foodborne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all.
Getting sick from raw milk can mean many days of diarrhea, stomach cramping, and vomiting. Less commonly, it can mean kidney failure, paralysis, chronic disorders, and even death.
Many people who chose raw milk thinking they would improve their health instead found themselves (or their loved ones) sick in a hospital for several weeks fighting for their lives from infections caused by germs in raw milk. For example, a person can develop severe or even life-threatening diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause paralysis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in kidney failure and stroke.
Aren’t raw or natural foods better than processed foods?
Many people believe that foods with no or minimal processing are better for their health. Many people also believe that small, local farms are better sources of healthy food. However, some types of processing are needed to protect health. For example, consumers process raw meat, poultry, and fish for safety by cooking. Similarly, when milk is pasteurized, it is heated just long enough to kill disease-causing germs. Most nutrients remain after milk is pasteurized. There are many local, small farms that offer pasteurized organic milk and cheese products.
I’ve heard that many organic and raw milk producers are creating sanitary and humane conditions for raising animals and producing “safe” raw milk and raw milk products (like cheeses and yogurts). Does this help reduce milk contamination?
Adherence to good hygienic practices during milking can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of milk contamination. The dairy farm environment is a reservoir for illness-causing germs. No matter what precautions farmers take, and even if their raw milk tests come back negative, they cannot guarantee that their milk, or the products made from their milk, are free of harmful germs.
- Germs such as Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter, and Salmonella can contaminate milk during the process of milking dairy animals, including cows and goats. Animals that carry these germs are usually healthy.
How does milk get contaminated?
Milk contamination may occur from:
- Cow feces coming into direct contact with the milk
- Infection of the cow’s udder (mastitis)
- Cow diseases (e.g., bovine tuberculosis)
- Bacteria that live on the skin of cows
- Environment (e.g., feces, dirt, processing equipment)
- Insects, rodents, and other animal vectors
- Humans, for example, by cross-contamination from soiled clothing and boots
Pasteurization is the only way to kill many of the bacteria in milk that can make people very sick.
Information about raw milk-related outbreaks
States that allow the legal sale of raw milk for human consumption have more raw milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow raw milk to be sold legally.
Among dairy product-associated outbreaks reported to CDC between 1973 and 2008 in which the investigators reported whether the product was pasteurized or raw, 82% were due to raw milk or cheese. From 1998 through 2008, 86 outbreaks due to consumption of raw milk or raw milk products were reported to CDC. These resulted in 1,676 illnesses, 191 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths. Most of these illnesses were caused by Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter, or Salmonella. It is important to note that a substantial proportion of the raw milk-associated disease burden falls on children; among the 86 raw dairy product outbreaks from 1998 to 2008, 79% involved at least one person less than 20 years old.
Reported outbreaks represent the tip of the iceberg. For every outbreak and every illness reported, many others occur, and most illnesses are not part of recognized outbreaks.
Pride & Joy Raw Milk E. coli HUS Recall in WA
An HUS raw milk E. coli outbreak has triggered the recall of raw fluid milk produced by Pride & Joy Creamery, LLC of Granger, Washington, as state health and agriculture officials investigate. E. coli HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, is a life-threatening complication of E. coli infection that causes kidney failure and can lead to other severe illness. Children under 5 years of age and older adults are most susceptible.
Pride & Joy Creamery unpasteurized milk under recall was sold at the farm in Granger and distributed through nine retail outlets (see below) in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Skagit counties, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said in a news release. The raw milk recall was initiated after sampling discovered Escherichia Coli.
WSDA and other public health officials are exploring the possibility that there has been human illness linked to this milk.
A good raw milk HUS lawyer can help families recover from the hospitalization of a loved one by holding the purveyor accountable for selling food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. E. coli is a well-known risk in the production and sale of raw milk and litigation is an appropriate response when individuals are sickened by it. Food poisoning attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are nationally known with years of experience in raw milk HUS lawsuits. They provide free case consultations at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or will respond to contact information you provide.
E. coli symptoms include bloody diarrhea and stomach cramps. Symptoms generally appear three to four days after exposure, but can take as long as nine days to appear. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact a health care provider. The infection sometimes causes hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious disease in which red blood cells are fragmented and the kidneys fail. Infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is similar to HUS and also can result from E. coli infection.
Pride & Joy raw milk recall
Pride & Joy Raw Cow’s Milk bearing expiration dates of 9/30/2011 and 9/31/11 has been recalled. The milk is sold only in gallon, half gallon and quart containers. Recalled raw milk was sold from the on-farm store at 2145 Liberty Road in Granger, WA and from the following locations:
- 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
