Warning- Listeria Contamination In Raw Milk In Central New York

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has issued a warning to consumers not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from Central New York. Here's what we know with this recall:

The milk comes from the Garrie A. Smith dba Big Brook Farm. The reason experts are saying to not drink it currently, is due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Garrie A. Smith dba Big Brook Farm is located at 6063 Weaver Road, Lee Center in Oneida County. To date, no illnesses have been reported to the Department associated with this product.

According to the recall, a sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. On March 13th 2024, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on March 18th confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the raw milk sample. The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.

The Department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from Garrie A. Smith dba Big Brook Farm immediately dispose of it and call the farm at 315-266-7254.

What Is Listeria Monocytogenes Anyways?

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, which can be a serious and sometimes fatal infection in young children, cancer patients, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women. It can cause short-term, flu-like symptoms, such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea in healthy people.

It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time. Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including listeriosis.