Health Law

Colorado E. coli O157 Infections a Reminder of Raw Milk's Huge Risks

By Colin Caywood

A recent raw milk outbreak of E. coli O157 among 30 plus folks in Colorado serves as an important reminder of the enormous risks associated with consumption of raw milk and raw milk products, especially for kids and the elderly.

Jennifer Brown at the Denver Post has written an excellent article on one family's horrific experience.  Like most parents, Mary and Mike Pierce were trying to do something beneficial for their kids.  They even did online research on the risks and benefits associated with raw milk consumption, which led them to believe the level of risk was low.  They went ahead and bought raw milk to feed to their 2 year-old daughter and 5 year-old son.  Both became deathly ill with E. coli O157 infections, leading to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and weeks of dialysis.

Of raw milk's enormous risk, Mary Pierce says it best: "It's not worth it. You can't understand until it's your kid lying in the bed."

This story highlights just how confusing and downright misleading much of the information available on the internet is when it comes to the topic of raw milk.  It is for this reason that Marler Clark has funded the creation of Real Raw Milk Facts.  The website aims is to provide the interested public with scientifically based information on raw milk risks and benefits, and was developed by a working group of scientists and health educators.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on September 07, 2010 (boomark / email).