Pennsylvania Milk Contaminated with Listeria

April 2008

Consumers who bought raw milk from Piney Ridge dairy farm in New Bethlehem, Clarion County, PA and Clark and Elaine Duncan’s farm in Meadville, Crawford County, PA after March 10 are being told to discard it immediately. It has been found that the milk may be contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes.

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized. Pennsylvania farms that sell raw milk have to be permitted and inspected to reduce health risks associated with unpasteurized products. The Listeria contamination was discovered during safety testing at the western PA dairies.

Symptoms of Listeriosis are fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as stiff neck, headache, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions may occur. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.