Overview

• The Florida Department of Health confirmed 21 Campylobacter and Shiga toxin–producing E. coli infections tied to raw milk from a single Northeast/Central Florida farm, including six cases in children under 10.
• Seven people have been hospitalized and two have developed severe complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome following exposure to the contaminated milk.
• Sanitation practices at the unnamed farm were flagged as inadequate, prompting investigators to cite poor handling and potential cross-contamination.
• State law restricts raw milk sales to pet or animal feed, a loophole critics say undermines oversight when consumers repurpose products for human drinking.
• Federal health agencies emphasize that pasteurization eliminates harmful bacteria and note 143 raw milk–related outbreaks nationwide since 1987, underscoring long-standing safety warnings.