Published: May 06, 2010

Centre County, PA, Dairy May Resume Raw Milk Sales After Negative Test Results for Listeria Monocytogenes

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HARRISBURG, Pa., May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Agriculture has informed Elmer Z. and Martha B. King of Aaronsburg, Centre County, that they may once again sell raw milk after two Pennsylvania-approved laboratory tests showed negative for Listeria monocytogenes.

In late April, test samples revealed potentially harmful levels of the pathogen. No illnesses were reported as a result of the potential milk contamination.

Before allowing sales to resume, the department took samples from the Kings' dairy operation on two separate days for the tests. The department's Bureau of Food Safety also worked with the Kings to ensure the dairy was compliant with standards for raw milk before resuming sales.

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pennsylvania farms selling raw milk must be permitted and have samples of their milk lab-tested due to the health risks associated with consuming the unpasteurized products.

Symptoms of Listeriosis are fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal complications, such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. The symptoms can appear anywhere between four days and three weeks after infection.

For more information about food safety, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us.

Media contacts: Justin Fleming, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture