PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Allegheny County Health Department is advising consumers to discard raw milk sold under the label The Family Cow after it confirmed five cases of infection in people who consumed the product.
The health department said in a release that the milk was produced by Your Family Farmer in Chambersburg and that tests confirmed Campylobacter contamination.
Most people who become ill from Campylobacter have diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever two to five days after exposure.
The health department said the dairy has ceased production until further notice.
A statement from Your Family Farmer said: “We are halting sales of our raw milk while we do further testing. For the next several days, both we and the state are extensively testing our current milk to assure its safety before we resume sales.”
The product was sold at seven locations in Allegheny County: Eichner Family Farms in Wexford, East End Food Co-op in Point Breeze, and directly to consumers at five drop-off points.
Ron Eichner told Channel 11 that Eichner Family Farms stopped selling the raw milk eight week ago.
Justin Pizzella of East End Food Co-op said they are in the process of contacting customers known to have purchased the product.
Raw milk is not pasteurized to kill bacteria, and while it is legal in Pennsylvania, Guillermo Cole of the Allegheny County Health Department said it comes with a warning label due to the risk of illness if consumed.
WPXI
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