Florida Issues Warning After Raw Milk Sickens 21

Florida health officials are sounding the alarm after an outbreak of illness traced to raw milk landed seven people in the hospital, with 21 total falling ill—all after drinking unpasteurized milk from the same farm. Six of the cases involved kids under 10, and at least two people have suffered serious complications, according to the Florida Department of Health. The culprit: infections with campylobacter and E. coli, both of which can cause nasty gastrointestinal symptoms, ABC News reports.

The state's health bulletin points to poor sanitation at the farm and notes that those who become sick could spread harmful bacteria, especially children. Regulators didn't name the farm, but confirmed the link between its raw milk and the outbreak in northeast and central Florida. The health department is urging Floridians to be wary, stating, "Sanitation practices in this farm are of particular concern due to the number of cases."

Officials stress that while some believe in health benefits from raw milk, those claims aren't backed by science—and the health risks are well established. "We invented pasteurization for a reason," Keith Schneider, a food safety professor at the University of Florida, tells the AP. "It's maddening that this is happening." While selling raw milk for people to drink is illegal in Florida, a loophole allows it to be sold as pet or animal food, sidestepping strict sanitation rules. Scheider calls it a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" regulation. "Everybody knows that they're selling it for human consumption," he says.

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The CDC and FDA both warn that raw milk can harbor dangerous germs including campylobacter, E. coli, listeria, and salmonella, which pasteurization would destroy. Since 1987, the FDA notes, there have been 143 outbreaks tied to raw milk and its products. Those at greatest risk include young children, pregnant women, seniors, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Health officials are advising caution: "Floridians are encouraged to use this information to make informed decisions about their health and sources of raw milk should they choose to consume it."