Raw milk contamination prompts health alert in U.S. Florida

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- A contamination of raw milk from a Florida farm has sickened at least 21 people and prompted the state authorities to issue a health alert, U.S. media reported on Monday.

The 21 people, including six children aged under 10, have been confirmed infected with the E. coli and Campylobacter bacteria related to raw milk from the farm in the U.S. southeastern state of Florida, and local health authorities have warned against drinking unpasteurized milk.

Seven people affected by the bacteria have been hospitalized, with two of them hit by severe complications, said the reports.

The Florida Department of Health has warned the public against drinking raw milk. It blamed the bad sanitation practices at the involved farm for the disease outbreak, without naming it. "Sanitation practices in this farm are of particular concern due to the number of cases," it said in a news release.

Florida's law prohibits selling raw milk for human consumption, but not the sale when labeled as a pet food. Pasteurization, a process of heating the milk which can kill the related bacteria, is required by the U.S. federal law for any milk sold across state lines. Some of the U.S. states also restrict or ban the sale of raw milk. However, the sales of raw milk have increased in recent years due to the promotion by online wellness influencers and raw food advocates.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say raw milk can carry life-threatening bacteria, such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps, and in severe cases, lead to kidney failure eventually.

In previous outbreaks linked to raw milk or raw milk products, miscarriages, stillbirths and even deaths were also reported since 1987, according to the reports. ■