Health Law

Warning issued for raw milk cheeses in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio

By Marler Clark

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health's Dairy Division warned consumers not to consume cheeses made from raw milk at the Grassy Meadows Dairy of Howe, Indiana, after testing conducted on the cheeses revealed high levels of staphylococcus aureus (staph) contamination in several samples of the cheeses that were produced before Wednesday.

The Board of Animal Health urged consumers to discard the following cheeses, which were sold in wedges or blocks:

• Colby (lots 210317 and 19177).
• Jalapeno natural cheese (lots 2617, 21017 and 11017).
• “Homemade” cheese (lots 19267 and 19227).
• Monterey Jack (lots 18207 and 2937).
• Garlic pepper cheese (lot 19147).

An article in the Journal Gazette provided more information about the recall:

Grassy Meadows products were sold directly to consumers from the dairy farm, as well as more than a dozen retail health food stores in northeast Indiana. The state board is working to secure a complete list of retail outlets that carry the products.

All of the samples taken indicated higher-than-allowed levels of staph, according to the statement. No consumer illness or complaints have been reported.

Staph infections can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, headache and muscle cramping, the statement said. The greatest health risk is to the very young, the very old and those with compromised immune systems.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on January 31, 2008 (boomark / email).