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Investigation Suggets Means of Contamination at Whittier

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

The continuing investigation into the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak at Whittier Farms leads experts to believe that contamination may be due to cleaning procedures at the dairy. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) took more than 100 environmental and milk samples from the dairy, revealing definite connections between the strains found at the plant and five cases of listeriosis.

According to Medical News Today,

So far nine samples from the plant have tested positive for the same strain of Listeria that was found in four of the five people who fell ill with Listeriosis after consuming products from the plant. No sample was available to test the fifth case, a 31 year old woman who has since made a full recovery and been delivered of a healthy baby.

It is also important to note that three of the cases involved the death of elderly men and a fourth case led to a miscarriage.

No concrete evidence narrows the exact source of contamination, however three of the four positive Listeria tests taking from the dairy were found in sections of the processing plant that dealt with milk after the pasteurization process.

In a recent press release by MDPH it was stated that

The presence of Listeria in the physical plant of the facility is consistent with contamination occurring during post-pasteurizing processing and bottling. One theory under consideration by health officials is that cleaning activities at the plant may have unintentionally caused contamination of the processing equipment allowing bacteria to enter the finished milk products.

Most of the positive samples at the dairy were found in flavored milk products. Public health investigators believe that the sugar content in the flavored milks may have provided an environment conducive to the growth of Listeria.

Other than the five reported cases of listeriosis, no new cases have been reported. Any cases involving the contaminated milk can be used in a lawsuit against Whittier Farms. Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker has recovered millions for victims of foodborne illness outbreaks. He is also an advocate for food safety. To contact Fred, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on January 22, 2008 (boomark / email).