Listeria Outbreak linked to Milk Processing Plant
Public health officials in the U.S. are investigating a major outbreak of listeria and have found up to 16 samples with the listeria bacteria at a milk processing plant.
The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of 3 elderly men who have died since June after drinking pasteurized milk that was contaminated with the bacteria.
The same strain of listeria also sickened a pregnant woman, who then miscarried and a second woman also was sickened after drinking milk from the plant.
The dairy processing plant in Shrewsbury is 35 miles west of Boston in Massachusetts, and is owned by Whittier Farms.
While officials have yet to determine exactly how the milk was contaminated, one environmental swab, one skim milk sample and seven flavored milk samples tested positive for the same strain of listeria that is now being blamed for the outbreak that sickened people.
The milk appears to have been contaminated during the production process and could have been lurking somewhere within the machinery. Experienced microbiologists are currently on site to determine the cause of the outbreak and to find potential reservoirs of the deadly micro-organisms.
So far, no further cases have been reported and health officials maintain that the health risk to the public is low.
The processing plant distributes milk under various brand names to stores across central Massachusetts and also operates a 500-acre farm in the town of Sutton.
Officials say the plant has been closed since December and will remain so while investigations continue and the bacterium is completely eradicated.
Here’s what they say on their site:
“Whittier Farms Inc. was notified today by the Department of Public Health that a press release would be issued today informing the public that Whittier Farms Inc. is being linked to cases involving listeria. Whittier Farms is fully cooperating with this investigation and will continue to do so.”
Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning that can be particularly dangerous to the elderly, infants, pregnant women and people with low immune system such as those chronic medical conditions; the symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, headache, stiffness, nausea and diarrhea.
