Milk is urgently pulled from shelves over traces of deadly bacteria which kills one in 20

Scottish Sun

21-05-2025

Read on to learn more about how STEC
HOLY COW Milk is urgently pulled from shelves over traces of deadly bacteria which kills one in 20
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A FARM shop is urgently recalling cow's milk over E. coli fears.
Kenneth Hanna's Farm Shop issued the stark alert after a product containing STEC possibly contaminated the Jersey milk.
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Ken's Raw Jersey Milk is being recalled following contamination fears
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The shop in Northern Ireland has told customers not to drink or use Ken's Raw Jersey Milk and instead to return it or dispose of it.
This recall applies to customers in Northern Ireland only.
The bottles are two litres, and all batch codes and all use-by codes are impacted.
The Food Standards Agency's (FSA) risk statement warned of: "The possible presence of STEC in this product.
"Symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.
"If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should stay away from work, school or nursery until you have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing it on to others."
A point-of-sale notice has been hung in the farm store that was selling the milk.
STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli) is a specific type of E. coli that produces Shiga toxins, which are potent biological toxins that can cause severe illness in humans.
E. coli O157:H7 is the most well-known STEC strain and is often linked to foodborne outbreaks from undercooked beef, raw produce, or unpasteurized dairy.
Symptoms of an STEC infection typically begin 3–4 days after exposure but can range from 1 to 10 days.
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) occurs in 5–10 percent of STEC cases, especially in young children and the elderly.
Symptoms of HUS include pale skin, fatigue, decreased urination, swelling.
HUS can lead to kidney failure, and in rare cases, death.
In the UK, the number of food product recalls varies year on year and are affected by consumer trends, legislative changes and tech developments.
In 2023, the FSA reported a 21 percent drop in recalls from 2022.
However, in 2024 the number of products marked as not fit for consumption was 2.5 higher than 2023.
What are the symptoms of an E. coli infection?
Escherichia coli O157, sometimes called STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli), is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure.
The NHS lists the symptoms as: Diarrhoea
Stomach cramps
Occasionally fever
About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea.
People usually notice symptoms three to four days after they' ve been infected.
But symptoms can start any time between one and 14 days afterwards.
These symptoms can last up to two weeks.
A small number of people with E. coli O157 infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).
Symptoms of HUS include: Peeing less
Tiredness
Swelling
Bruising
This can sometimes lead to kidney failure and death, although this is rare.
The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years.
Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms.
Speak to your GP if you or your child has diarrhoea and: It's particularly frequent or severe
It lasts for more than seven days
A severe or continuous stomach ache
Weight loss
Have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
Have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy
If you or your child has bloody diarrhoea contact your GP practice and ask for an urgent appointment or call NHS 111.
Raw milk is unpasteurised, totally unfiltered, and loved for its creamy taste and thickness.
Advocates claim it's a natural superfood, packed with gut-friendly bacteria, enzymes, and nutrients supposedly destroyed by pasteurisation.
Some have claimed that it helps with allergies and digestion issues, with some believing it supports the immune system.
But raw milk can be a double-edged sword, as is the case here.
Unlike pasteurised milk, it hasn't been heat-treated to kill off bacteria.
As well as E.coli and STEC, Listeria, and Salmonella can also be found in raw cow's milk.