Tag Archives: Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm

60 days don’t mean shit: 1 dead, 28 sick from E. coli O157:H7 in raw milk cheese, Canada, 2013

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Between 12 July and 29 September 2013, 29 individuals in five Canadian provinces became ill following infection with the same strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7 as defined by molecular typing results. Five case patients were hospitalized, and one died.

Twenty-six case patients (90%) reported eating Gouda cheese originating from a dairy plant in British Columbia. All of the 22 case patients with sufficient product details available reported consuming Gouda cheese made with raw milk; this cheese had been produced between March and July 2013 and was aged for a minimum of 60 days. The outbreak strain was isolated from the implicated Gouda cheese, including one core sample obtained from an intact cheese wheel 83 days after production.

The findings indicate that raw milk was the primary source of the E. coli O157:H7, which persisted through production and the minimum 60-day aging period. This outbreak is the third caused by E. coli O157:H7 traced to Gouda cheese made with raw milk in North America.

These findings provide further evidence that a 60-day ripening period cannot ensure die-off of pathogens that might be present in raw milk Gouda cheese after production and have triggered an evaluation of processing conditions, physicochemical parameters, and options to mitigate the risk of E. coli O157:H7 infection associated with raw milk Gouda cheese produced in Canada.

Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections linked to aged raw milk gouda cheese, Canada, 2013

Andrea Currie, Eleni Galanis, Pedro Chacon, Regan Murray, Lynn Wilcott, Paul Kirkby, Lance Honish, Kristyn Franklin, Jeff Farber, Rob Parker, Sion Shyng, Davendra Sharma, Lorelee Tschetter, Linda Hoang, Linda Chui, Ana Pacagnella, Julie Wong, Jane Pritchard, Ashley Kerr, Marsha Taylor, Victor Mah, and James Flint

Journal of Food Protection, vol. 81, No. 2, 2018, pg. 325-331

doi:10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-17-283

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29369688

22 sick, 1 dead from E. coli; Canadian media focuses on alleged benefits of raw milk

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With 22 people sick and 1 dead from E. coli O157 linked to raw milk cheese produced by Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canadian media have chosen to focus on the alleged benefits of raw milk cheese.

Citing Michael Pollan as an influence, one writer says “there is magic in traditional methods … It has been known for some time that excessive hygiene can cause more colbert.raw.milktrouble than it prevents.”

Another says my cows are clean so the milk is clean, and another says “Raw milk has all the enzymes still in it and a lot of immunoglobulin in it which helps the immune system of the baby to be developed and it helps the growth factors.”

Magical food, hmmm, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, that would be when 140 people got sick with Salmonella from sprouts on Jimmy John’s sandwiches beginning in Dec. 2010.

Shouldn’t the focus be on the sick people? And using science to evaluate risk, not magic?

1 dead, 10 sick from E. coli O157 in Canadian raw milk cheese; govt says wash hands

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One person has died and 10 have become ill in B.C. and Alberta after eating E. coli tainted products from Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm of Salmon Arm, B.C.

A statement from Health Canada said there were four cases of illness in B.C. and seven in Alberta.

“One of the cases in British Columbia has died, and the cause of death is currently under investigation,” said the Health Canada gort's.cheese.O157statement.

One person is still recovering in hospital and several cases remain under investigation, said B.C. Centre for Disease Control epidemiologist Dr. Eleni Galanis.

The illnesses began in July, with the majority of infected people displaying symptoms in late August to early September. 

Farm owner and operator Kathy Wikkerink said she was devastated by the news.

“We feel like we … we have hurt these people and it’s totally unintentionally … we were totally unaware of this bacteria being in any of our products,” she said.

“We only have raw milk cheese sales … people come here for raw milk cheese,” adding the farm will only make pasteurized cheese for the time being. 

It is illegal to sell unpasteurized milk, but cheese made from unpasteurized milk is legal for sale in Canada.

Officials advise that if you have eaten this cheese and feel well, there is no need to do anything further.

All sizes of the raw milk cheeses listed below are affected by the recall:

  • Medium Gouda Cheese Quaso de Prato.
  • Aged Quaso de Prato.
  • X Aged Quaso de Prato.
  • Cumin Quaso de Prato.
  • Greek Blend: Onion, Paprika, Parsley, Pepper, Thyme, Oregano Quaso de Prato.
  • Gouda Cheese with Jalapeno Peppers Quaso de Prato.
  • Smoked Gouda Cheese Quaso de Prato.
  • Gouda Cheese with Red Peppers, Ginger, Onions & Garlic Quaso de Prato.
  • Peppercorn, Ginger, Paprika, Onion & Garlic Quaso de Prato.
  • Parsley, Celery, Onion, Garlic, Dill & Chives Quaso de Prato.
  • Maasdammer.
  • Beaufort.
  • Parmesan.
  • Mazouda.

​An alert from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency states the affected products have lot codes 122 to 138 and were sold at the manufacturer’s outlet, at retail stores in Alberta and B.C, and through Internet sales from May 27 to Sept. 14, 2013, inclusive.

Some product packages may not bear a lot code or indicate that the cheese was made with raw milk, and CFIA advises consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected product to contact their retailer.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said in a release, “We want to remind Canadians to follow proper hygiene and safe food handling and preparation practices to prevent the spread of all foodborne illness including E. coli for example:

• wash your hands before and after cooking;

• keep knives, counters and cutting boards clean;

• keep raw meats separate from other foods when you store them; and,

• refrigerate or freeze left-overs promptly.      

The best they can do, for a raw milk cheese outbreak.