Raw milk is unpasteurised and unfiltered, and is popular due to its creamy taste and thickness. However, unlike pasteurised milk, it hasn’t been heat-treated to kill off bacteria
An urgent recall notice has been issued as a popular milk brand could make people seriously ill. The Food Standards Agency issued the notice on Wednesday, and it covers milk from Kenneth Henna’s Raw Jersey Milk in Northern Ireland.
Raw milk is unpasteurised and unfiltered, and is popular due to its creamy taste and thickness. However, unlike pasteurised milk, it hasn’t been heat-treated to kill off bacteria.
According to the recall notice, the two-litre dairy product could be contaminated with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC). Consuming this bacteria can make people very sick, with symptoms including abdominal cramps, watery and/or bloody diarrhoea, a fever, and vomiting.
However, some people are at risk of more severe health problems, potentially causing haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal in some cases.
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STEC infection is more likely to occur in vulnerable groups, such as the young and those with weakened immune systems.
The recall notice affects all “Ken’s Raw Jersey Milk” products, including all batch codes and use-by dates. Even though the recall is a “precautionary” notice, the Food Standards Agency has urged anyone who has bought the product not to consume it. Instead, they should dispose of it or return it to their place of purchase.
The farm shop has displayed point-of-sale notices explaining the recall to customers who may have purchased the affected milk. For further information on the recall notice, you can contact Kenneth Hanna’s Farm Shop on 07710203082.
What are recall notices?
Products can be recalled for a range of different reasons including safety – if a product displays risks for the customer – or quality – when the product isn’t working as it should be.
The Food Standards Agency is in charge of issuing alerts when a food product has a problem. The product can either be “withdrawn,” which means it is taken off the shelves, or “recalled,” which means customers are asked to return it.
Food products need to be recalled if they are found to have been contaminated with pathogens that could cause food poisoning or if plastic or metal has been found in them due to manufacturing faults.
Food items also need to be recalled if any allergen information is missing or incorrect. The Office for Product Safety and Standards is responsible for everything else which does not fall into food, medicines, and vehicles.
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