A large-scale Salmonella outbreak tied to raw milk has affected at least 165 individuals who have fallen ill with Salmonella infections linked to products from Raw Farm in Fresno, California, as of February this year. This outbreak is now considered the largest reported Salmonella incident associated with raw milk in the United States over the past decade, according to abcnews.com.
Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness in humans. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, appearing six hours to six days after exposure to the bacteria. While most people recover without specific treatment, the infection can be severe, especially for young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Given the size of the incident, questions and concerns have been raised about the Raw Farm’s health and safety protocols. The national food safety law firm of Ron Simon & Associates, experienced salmonella lawyers, are now representing many of the victims and have begun an investigation into the outbreak. According to Ron Simon, “we expect the number of victims calling us to increase as more and more people learn the cause of their salmonellosis. While we are glad the outbreak appears to be over, it is unfortunate that this outbreak may have been so easily prevented.”
In October 2023, officials in San Diego reported about a dozen cases, prompting Raw Farm to issue a voluntary recall of milk and heavy cream sold between October 11 and November 6. However, the number of cases continued to rise.
Over 60% of interviewed individuals with confirmed infections reported consuming Raw Farm products. The majority of cases (162) were in California, with infections spreading to three other states. Nearly 40% of the illnesses affected children under 5 years old, with 20 people requiring hospitalization.
The owner of Raw Farm acknowledged the outbreak and attributed it to a single infected cow that was subsequently removed from the herd. He stated that additional testing protocols have been implemented after the incident.
In February of this year, raw cheddar cheese from Raw Farm was linked to an outbreak of E. coli in four states. Eleven total illnesses were reported with five of those affected requiring hospitalization. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared that outbreak over as of March 26, 2024.
Commenting on this article, Ron Simon & Associates’ attorney Dr. Tony Coveny said, “Too many consumers have been sickened unnecessarily from drinking raw milk from Raw Farm. We look forward to the results of our investigation to determine how the outbreak occurred and how it might have been prevented – other than, of course, heeding the advice to avoid consuming non-pasteurized products.”
