Fresno dairy raw milk products recalled by state

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California food safety regulators have placed a recall and quarantine order on raw milk products from a Fresno dairy, Organic Pastures.

All milk products except cheese aged a minimum of 60 days must be pulled from retail stores, and consumers are urged to dispose of any remaining products in their homes, said the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The quarantine order came after state health authorities identified a cluster of five children infected between August and October with the same strain of the bacteria E. coli 0157:H7 in Contra Costa, Kings, Sacramento and San Diego counties. An investigation revealed that the only common factor was the drinking of raw milk from Organic Pastures.

State milk and dairy food inspectors have begun a full check of the Organic Pastures facilities.

Organic Pastures marketing manager Kaleigh Lutz said that the dairy’s own testing has been negative for presence of pathogens. The family-owned company is working with Food and Agriculture to resolve the investigation. Organic Pasture’s organic beef, raw cheese and organic pastured eggs are not affected by the recall.

Symptoms of E.coli infection include abdominal cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody, officials said. Most people recover within a week, but some victims need to be hospitalized.

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-- Marc Lifsher