Raw milk and cream produced by Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County with a code date of MAY 18 is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones. The quarantine order followed the confirmed detection of Salmonella bacteria in raw cream. No illnesses have been reported at this time.
Under the recall, Organic Pastures Dairy brand raw milk, raw skim milk and raw cream labeled with a code date of MAY 18 is to be pulled immediately from retail shelves, and consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any product remaining in their refrigerators.
CDFA inspectors found the bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility.
According to the California Department of Public Health, symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea which may be bloody. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after exposure. While most individuals recover in four to seven days without medical intervention, some may develop complications that require hospitalization. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk for more severe illness.
ANOTHER 2016 ORGANIC PASTURES RAW MILK E. COLI O157:H7 OUTBREAK
In January 2016 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) learned of a cluster of four children diagnosed with E. coli O157 who reported consuming Organic Pastures Dairy Company (OPDC) brand raw cow milk before they became sick. Molecular strain typing of patient isolates showed these four patients were infected with an indistinguishable strain of E. coli O157 identified as PulseNet pattern combination “EXHX01.6177/EXHA26.0628.” Genetic testing by Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) confirmed PFGE findings.
By late February 2016 ten outbreak associated case-patients residing in seven northern and central California counties had been identified. Nine case-patients had E. coli O157 with the predominant PFGE pattern combination EXHX01.6177/EXHA26.0628. One case-patient had a closely related PFGE pattern combination EXHX01.6275/EXHA26.0628. Both pattern combinations were given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cluster code 1602CAEXH-1. The patients were primarily children, with a median age of 8 years (range 1 to 26 years). Onset dates of illness ranged from January 14 to January 28, 2016. Four were hospitalized including two children with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Of the ten case-patients, nine were interviewed. One patient was lost to follow-up and never interviewed. Of the nine that were interviewed, six (67%) reported consuming OPDC bran raw milk prior to illness onset. Three denied known raw milk exposure.
In response to the initial reports of illness, OPDC initiated a recall on February 5, 2016 of two lot codes of raw milk. This recall affected over 100 retail locations in northern and central California. Samples obtained from a patient in Fresno and from multiple retail locations throughout northern California were tested. E. coli O157 was not detected in any of these samples of raw milk.
During discussions with OPDC management, CDPH investigators learned that E. coli O157:H7 had been detected in a bulk milk tank sample in early January 2016. Although this milk was not distributed to the public, this finding resulted in further testing of the milk herd. One of the cows, Cow 149, was identified as having milk that was positive for E. coli O157. CDPH Food and Drug Laboratory Branch (FDLB) conducted PFGE testing on four isolates cultured from samples collected from Cow 149. PFGE analysis determined the four isolates were PulseNet strain EXHX01.6177/EXHA26.0628 and were indistinguishable from the main outbreak pattern seen in clinical isolates.
On February 8, 2016 CDPH Food and Drug Branch (FDB) investigators conducted an on-site investigation at OPDC. FDB investigators collected a total of 97 environmental and product samples including 20 product samples (raw milk and cream), 56 cow feces, 18 soil, and 3 water. E. coli O157 was not detected in any of the product samples collected at OPDC. However, multiple environmental samples tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, including feces, soil, and water. These environmental samples were determined by FDLB to have 3 strains of E. coli O157 including the two strains isolated in case-patients (EXHX01.6177/EXHA26.0628 and EXHX01.6275/EXHA26.0628).
The evidence collected indicated that cattle in the OPDC milking herd were shedding E. coli O157 that matched PFGE patterns associated with ten illnesses in January 2016. Cow 149 produced milk contaminated with E. coli O157 and it is likely that milk from Cow 149 was bottled and shipped to consumers.
PAST OUTBREAKS LINKED TO ORGANIC PASTURES RAW MILK
October 2015 – Organic Pastures Raw Milk Linked to Campylobacter Test:
Raw milk produced by Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County with a code date of OCT 24 is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones.[1] The quarantine order followed the confirmed detection of campylobacter bacteria in raw whole milk. No illnesses have been reported at this time. Under the recall, Organic Pastures Dairy brand Grade-A raw milk labeled with a code date of OCT 24 is to be pulled immediately from retail shelves, and consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any product remaining in their refrigerators.
CDFA inspectors found the bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility.
September 2012 – Organic Pastures Raw Milk Linked to Campylobacter Test:
Raw milk, raw skim milk (non-fat) and raw cream produced by Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County and with a code date of SEP 13 are the subjects of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones.[2] The quarantine order followed the confirmed detection of campylobacter bacteria in raw cream. No illnesses have been reported at this time.
Under the recall, Organic Pastures Dairy brand Grade A raw cream, Grade A raw milk and Grade A raw skim milk, all with a labeled code date of SEP 13, are to be pulled immediately from retail shelves, and consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any product remaining in their refrigerators.
CDFA inspectors found the bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of routine inspection and sample collection at the facility.
May 2012 – Organic Pastures Raw Milk Linked to Campylobacter Illnesses:
Raw milk, raw skim milk (non-fat), raw cream and raw butter produced by Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford.[3] The quarantine order came following the confirmed detection of campylobacter bacteria in raw cream.
Consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any Organic Pastures products of these types remaining in their refrigerators, and retailers are to pull those products immediately from their shelves.
From January through April 30, 2012, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that at least 10 people with campylobacter infection were identified throughout California and reported consuming Organic Pastures raw milk prior to illness onset. Their median age is 11.5 years, with six under 18. The age range is nine months to 38 years. They are residents of Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara counties. None of the patients have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths.
According to CDPH, symptoms of campylobacteriosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Most people with campylobacteriosis recover completely. Illness usually occurs 2 to 5 days after exposure to campylobacter and lasts about a week. The illness is usually mild and some people with campylobacteriosis have no symptoms at all. However, in some persons with compromised immune systems, it can cause a serious, life-threatening infection. A small percentage of people may have joint pain and swelling after infection. In addition, a rare disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome that causes weakness and paralysis can occur several weeks after the initial illness.
2011 Organic Pastures E. coli Outbreak:
In November 2011, a cluster of five young children with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 infection with matching pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns was identified. Illness onsets were from August 25 to October 25, 2011. All five children reported drinking commercially available raw (unpasteurized) milk from a single dairy (Organic Pastures) and had no other common exposures. Statistical analysis of case patients’ exposures with a comparison group of E. coli O157:H7 patients with non-cluster PFGE patterns indicated a strong association with raw milk. The epidemiological findings led to a quarantine and recall of all Organic Pastures products except cheese aged more than 60 days, and investigations by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Food and Drug Branch (FOB) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Environmental samples collected at Organic Pastures yielded E. coli O157:H7 isolates that had PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the patient isolates. Organic Pastures raw milk consumed by the case-patients was likely contaminated with this strain of E. coli O157:H7, resulting in their illnesses. See Final Report.[4]
Organic Pastures has been involved in even other recalls and outbreaks in the past:
Organic Pastures products were recalled for pathogens in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It was tied to a 2007 outbreak of Campylobacter. Most notably, it was quarantined in 2006 after six children became ill with E. coli infections – two with hemolytic uremic syndrome. See Final Report.[5]
2006: 3 strains of E. coli O157:H7 cultured from OPDC heifer feces. See Press Release.[6]
2007: 50 strains of Campylobacter jejuni plus Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointetinalis, and Campylobacter lari cultured from OPDC dairy cow feces after eight people were sickened. See State Report.[7]
2007: Listeria monocytogenes cultured from Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream. See Press Release.[8]
2008: Campylobacter cultured from Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream. See Press Release.[9]
Footnotes
[1] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=15-050
[2] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-033
[3] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-018
[4] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/press_releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=11-064
[5] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5723a2.htm
[6] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5723a2.htm
[7] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=15-050
[8] http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2005/ucm112271.htm
[9] https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=08-061