Source: The Daytona Beach News Journal
The Florida Department of Health has linked raw milk from Keely Farms Dairy in New Smyrna Beach to 21 cases of Campylobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections, with seven hospitalizations and two severe complications. Six of those sickened were children under 10. While drinking raw milk is legal in Florida, selling it for human consumption is not; it can only be sold as pet food with proper labeling, which Keely’s website did not mention.
Health officials cited “particular concern” over the farm’s sanitation practices and are working to ensure safer handling. The outbreak highlights ongoing risks of raw milk, which can harbor dangerous bacteria despite claims from advocates that it’s healthier and easier to digest. Public health experts and agencies, including the CDC and FDA, strongly recommend pasteurization, which kills harmful pathogens without significantly reducing nutritional value.