A New Zealand milk producer has announced a recall after several people became ill.
This is the second time in recent months that a Campylobacter infection has been linked to Lindsay Farm brand organic raw milk.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said two potentially related illnesses had been reported.
Raw or unpasteurized drinking milk was sold in 2-liter plastic bottles. Affected lot numbers are 2612, 2712, 2812, 2912, 3112, 0101, 0201, 0301, 0401. The expiration date is from December 30, 2023 to January 8, 2024. Sold in the Hawke’s Bay region. Via courier and some registered depots.
MPI urged people who have purchased the affected products to return them to their retailers for a refund without drinking them. Heat to 70°C (158°F) and hold at this temperature for 1 minute before serving.
Previous incidents and other incidents
The Campylobacter outbreak was reported to Hawke’s Bay Public Health in November 2023, with three confirmed cases. All three individuals were consuming raw milk from Lindsay Farms, and a specific batch of the product was recalled in mid-November.
From 2019 to mid-2023, there were 10 outbreaks in New Zealand linked to people drinking raw milk.
In 2022, Lindsay Farms was fined for failing to comply with regulations regarding the sale and supply of raw milk. The company said it did not initially sign the raw milk law because of restrictions on distribution. In August 2020, the company registered an outbreak of Campylobacter related to its milk under regulations.
Other recent outbreaks in New Zealand include the Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens outbreak in October 2023, resulting in 12 cases, 2 confirmed and 10 probable. there were. It was a private catering event, and the sauce was chicken curry.
Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were identified in clinical specimens and leftover curry. Staphylococcus aureus was also isolated from clinical samples. MPI and council staff identified issues with the cooling process being used and issued an improvement notice to the facility.
An outbreak of typhoid fever occurred among seasonal workers in Tairawhiti. Tairawhiti Public Health investigated the incident involving eight patients. The cases were all employees who lived in shared accommodation. The most likely source was an employee who was responsible for all the cooking for the group and had recently been abroad.
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