Raw Milk Recalled Due to Listeria Concerns
After the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry detected Listeria monocytogenes in its raw milk products, Swan Bros. Dairy initiated a recall. The recall covers raw milk sold in plastic jugs of pints, half-gallons, and gallons of raw milk. The products involved include raw whole milk, raw 2% milk, raw skim milk, and raw heavy cream.
Oklahoma state regulators issued another recall alert for Swan Bros. Dairy raw milk products in July. A positive test for Listeria in the dairy’s raw milk also triggered the earlier recall. Additionally, in June 2020, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry announced a statewide recall of Swan Bros. Dairy raw milk products after the agency detected Campylobacter jejuni. 10 people tested positive for the bacterial infection from the recalled products in that incident.
Raw milk poses an unnecessary health risk, according to the CDC.
About Listeria Infection
Often, food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes does not look, smell, or otherwise appear spoiled. Further, symptoms can take up to 70 days after exposure to appear. Those symptoms include neck stiffness, vomiting, severe headaches, nausea, muscle aches, and persistent fevers. Listeriosis often mimics other illnesses, and requires very specific laboratory tests to diagnose.
Groups including pregnant women, newborn babies, people above the age of 65, and people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to infection. Pregnant women often only experience mild flu-like symptoms; however, infection can cause premature delivery, stillbirth, and infection in the newborn baby.