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A food alert issued by the Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner warned consumers in Dutchess County and the surrounding area not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from Shunpike Dairy due to possible Listeria Monocytogenes contamination.
To date, no illnesses have been reported with milk purchased at the dairy located in Millbrook, the department said.
A sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the department was discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. On Friday, Jan. 25, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on Wednesday, Jan. 30, confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the raw milk sample.
The department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from Shunpike Dairy immediately dispose of it and call 845-702-6224.
The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.
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. Although otherwise healthy persons may suffer only short-term, flulike symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.
Raw milk does not offer the protection of pasteurization, a heating process that kills bacteria found in a number of illnesses including listeriosis, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and brucellosis.
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