Federal authorities are blaming raw milk for a listeria outbreak that killed one person in Florida and sickened another in California.
Raw milk has been growing in popularity among all-natural food advocates who argue that pasteurization — which is aimed at killing bacteria that calls listeria, salmonella, and E. coli — is unnecessary and removes some of the health benefits of milk. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims to have linked a recent death from listeria to a farm that produces raw milk, according to a statement.
The CDC began investigating Miller’s Organic Farm in Pennsylvania in connection with some 2014 listeria cases that resulted in a death in Florida and another person becoming ill in California. Both patients had consumed raw milk.
The farm has produced chocolate milk that tested positive for listeria late last year when the Food and Drug Administration examined some samples. The FDA later alerted the CDC.
Listeriosis can result in high fever, diarrhea, and other unpleasant symptoms. It usually does not cause death, except in those with weakened immune systems.
“Raw milk and raw dairy products can pose severe health risks, including death, especially for people at higher risk for foodborne illness, including children younger than 5, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems,” the CDC said in the statement. “We recommend that people drink and eat only pasteurized dairy products.
“Because Listeria was recently found in raw milk produced by Miller’s Organic Farm, we are concerned that contaminated raw milk and other raw dairy products from this company could still be on the market and make people sick,” the CDC added. “This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill people and to interview them. Updates will be provided when more information is available.”