Minnesota officials investigating outbreak linked to raw milk from Morrison County farm
Sep. 1—ST. PAUL — Minnesota state health officials have linked eight cases of cryptosporidiosis and one case of E. coli illness to raw milk from a farm in Morrison County.
The Minnesota Department of Health urges anyone who may have recently purchased milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen in Hillman to discard the product and not consume it, according to a news release. The milk may be labeled natural A2 milk, and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized.
All people who became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms in early August reported purchasing or consuming raw milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen prior to the onset of their illness. according to the release. Four of them are under the age of 10 and one has been hospitalized.
Raw or "natural" milk has not gone through the pasteurization process that heats the milk to a high temperature for a short period of time to kill harmful fecal germs that can contaminate raw milk.
* People infected with Cryptosporidium generally develop watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, loss of appetite and weight loss approximately a week after consuming contaminated foods or touching infected animals. The illness typically lasts for two weeks, but symptoms may go in cycles in which people seem to get better for a few days and then feel worse again before the illness ends.
* Symptoms of E. coli infections typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea. People typically become ill two to five days after consuming contaminated food. In some cases, people may develop severe illness that leads to hospitalization. Children under the age of 5, adults over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk.
The state health department is working to identify people who may have purchased milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen. If you or someone you know has experienced gastrointestinal illness after consuming unpasteurized milk from Healthy Harvest Farm and Kitchen, fill out a
confidential online survey
or email
