Minnesota Department of Agriculture Focusing on Raw Milk after E. coli Outbreak
Earlier this month, Minnesota health officials linked an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened 8 people to raw milk products from the Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minnesota.
During their investigation of the Hartmann farm, health officials found 28 environmental and animal samples from the Hartmann farm that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Twenty-six samples had the same DNA fingerprint as the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. The positive samples included environmental samples from the dairy barn where the cows are milked, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture now has a link to the following raw milk information on the home page of its website:
Raw milk, or milk straight from the cow, sheep or goat without any further pasteurization or processing, can contain harmful bacteria that may cause people who consume the milk to become sick. These bacteria can come from many sources on the farm including:
- The animals themselves
- Milking equipment contaminated with manure
- Water
- Soil
- Anywhere that fecal contamination can be found
Some of these bacteria include:
- Campylobacter
- E. coli O157:H7
- Salmonella
- Listeria
Because of the potential risks associated with consuming raw milk, Minnesota law restricts the sale of this type of milk for human consumption. The law does provide an alternative for people who want to consume raw milk. On an occasional basis, consumers may go directly to farms to secure the raw milk directly from the farmer. This exemption applies to cow, goat and sheep farms (or any other species producing milk for human consumption) equally.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has stepped up its enforcement of a Minnesota law that prohibits the sale of raw milk unless a consumer, using his or her own bottle, buys the milk at the farm where the milk is produced. Minnesota Statutes 32.393 Limitation on Sale of Milk reads as follows:
“No milk, fluid milk products…shall be advertised, offered or exposed for sale…for the purpose of human consumption in fluid form in this state unless the same has been pasteurized and cooled… this section will not apply to milk… occasionally secured or purchased for personal use by any consumer at the farm where the milk is produced.
Tags: raw milk e coli
