The Pennsylvania state departments of Agriculture and Health are advising consumers and retailers who purchased milk from Brunton Dairy in Aliquippa, Beaver County, to immediately discard all milk with a sell-by date of Oct. 25 or later.
As part of ongoing oversight testing of the dairy, the Department of Agriculture confirmed a positive test result for Yersinia bacteria from pasteurized, homogenized fat-free milk in a gallon glass bottle with a date code (sell-by date) of Oct. 25.
Milk production has been suspended at the dairy until additional testing is completed.
Yersinia enterocolitica causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and it can sometimes enter the bloodstream and affect other organs. Onset of illness usually occurs four to six days after exposure, but can be as short as one day or as long as two weeks. This infection can be severe, and illness can mimic appendicitis and sometimes lead to unnecessary surgery.
Any person who consumed a product from Brunton Dairy and has symptoms of diarrhea or abdominal pain should contact their healthcare provider to assure appropriate specimens are collected and treatment is given, the health department said in a news release.
In June and July, 16 people were sickened with Yersinia entercolitica after drinking pasteurized milk in glass bottles from Brunton dairy.
Brunton Dairy is certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to pasteurize milk at the farm. The dairy produces buttermilk, regular, fat-free, reduced-fat, cream, and chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milk, as well as ice cream. The dairy sells its products on the farm, makes home delivery to households in Western Pennsylvania, and also sells milk and ice cream at retail establishments and for use by restaurants.
