Unlicensed cheesemaker told to halt production
By JESSE GARZA
jgarza@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 22, 2006
More than 40 people have become ill after eating unpasteurized cheese curds produced by Wesley Lindquist of Highbridge, state health officials said Thursday.
Test results from six of those people confirmed the presence of Campylobacter jejuni bacteria, a statement from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services said.
The bacteria cause nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever and vomiting. On rare occasions, those affected develop more severe complications such as temporary arthritis or paralysis, generally after the initial symptoms have disappeared, the statement said.Continue Reading Homemade curds sicken dozens

State health officials are advising people to avoid eating unpasteurized cheese curds produced by Wesley Lindquist of Highbridge in Ashland County.
The cheese curds have been connected to an outbreak of campylobacter jejuni, a form of food poisoning. More than 40 people have become ill with symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever

KidsHealth.org
Jun 20, 2006
You probably have lots of concerns about the foods you give to your child. Is it a nutritious meal? Will your child eat it? Is there too much fat? But one thing that may not cross your mind as you’re slicing and dicing in the kitchen is food safety.
Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparations are necessary to prevent your family from becoming sick from food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria (which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Food safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, how to store them, how to cook them, and how to clean up afterward.Continue Reading Food Safety for Your Family

June 6, 2006
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Each year, people become ill from drinking raw milk and eating foods made from raw dairy products. Unlike most of the milk, cheese, and dairy products sold in the United States, raw milk and raw dairy products have not been heat treated or pasteurized to kill germs. Although many states outlaw the sale of these items, many people including dairy producers, farm workers and their families, and some ethnic groups continue to drink raw milk and eat foods made from raw dairy products. Several types of raw cheeses such as feta, brie, queso fresco, sheep’s and goat’s milk cheese have been illegally sold in the United States.
Germs in These Products Cause Thousands of Illnesses
Raw milk and raw dairy products may carry many types of disease-causing germs such as Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Brucella. When raw milk or raw milk products become contaminated, people who eat the contaminated foods can get sick. Here are a few examples of outbreaks that have been reported since 2000:Continue Reading Raw milk and cheeses: health risks are still black and white

County has 13 possible cases of bacterial illness
June 7, 2006
The Daily Press (Wisconsin)
Rick Olivo
Ashland County and state public health officials are investigating an outbreak of a diarrheal illness that is possibly related to an unpasteurized dairy product.
According to Ashland County Health Officer Terry Kramolis, one person has been confirmed with an infection by the Campylobacter bacteria, which can cause nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and occasional vomiting. On rare occasions, the illness has more severe complications such as temporary arthritis or paralysis, generally after the initial symptoms have disappeared.
“Currently, 13 people from Ashland County have probable Campylobacter infections,” Kramolis said. “And several people have been hospitalized.Continue Reading Health officials investigate suspected outbreak of Campylobacter

Last Update: Tuesday, May 16, 2006. 11:19am (AEST)
A south-east South Australian environmental health officer has warned about a bacteria found on raw poultry and on animals, which he believes is on the increase.
Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s Dr Bob Netherton says the campylobacter bacteria commonly causes gastroenteritis, but can also cause other illnesses.
During a

May 13, 2006
There are fresh calls for consumers to handle chicken properly following a new report which has found nearly all the raw meat sold over the counter carries campylobacter.
The bacteria is one of the most common causes of food poisoning.
Commissioned by the Food Safety Authority, the report indicates that more than 90% of the raw chicken we buy could be contaminated with campylobactor.
But we’re also at risk from other raw meats.Continue Reading Campylobacter found in most chickens

April 12, 2006
Akron Beacon-Journal (OH)
Hard-cooked eggs in the shell once were considered so safe and bacteria-free that kids stored them in their Easter baskets and moms displayed them in a nest of plastic grass on the dining room buffet.
No more. We now know hard-cooked eggs should be handled as carefully as raw poultry. They should be stored in the refrigerator and left at room temperature for no longer than two hours max, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Scientists have found that high-protein foods such as eggs are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria when left at room temperature. Further prompting the push for egg safety was a new type of salmonella bacteria that started showing up in some raw in-shell eggs in the 1980s. The bacteria, salmonella enteritidis, was transferred directly from the hens to the eggs. The discovery resulted in a government recommendation to thoroughly cook eggs and to keep raw and cooked eggs chilled.Continue Reading Keeping cooked eggs safe to eat

April 5, 2006
Food Safety Web Specialists
Food Safety and Inspection Service
WASHINGTON — The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today advised consumers that cooking raw poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F will eliminate pathogens and viruses.
The single minimum internal temperature requirement of 165 degrees F was recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).
“The Committee was asked to determine a single minimum temperature for poultry at which consumers can be confident that pathogens and viruses will be destroyed,” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “The recommendation is based on the best scientific data available and will serve as a foundation for our programs designed to reduce foodborne illness and protect public health.”Continue Reading Single minimum internal temperature established for cooked poultry