Raw Milk Recalled, 5 Kids Sickened by E. coli

SACRAMENTOThe California Department of Public Health issued a statewide recall and quarantine of raw milk products produced by Organic Pastures after five children were sickened with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 after drinking unpasteurized milk produced by the dairy.

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 to dispose of any products remaining in their refrigerators. 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."

Three of the five children were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS); there have been no deaths. While laboratory samples of Organic Pastures raw milk have not detected E. coli 0157:H7 contamination, epidemiologic data collected by the California Department of Public Health link the illnesses with Organic Pastures raw milk.