Consumer Alert: Campylobacter Jejuni Contamination in Raw Milk in Montgomery County

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball today warned consumers in Montgomery County and the surrounding area not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from Rob and Shirley Hudyncia dba HuHill Farm due to possible Campylobacter jejuni contamination. HuHill Farm is located at 232 Lighthall Road, Fort Plain, New York 13339. To date, no illnesses have been reported to the Department associated with this product.

A routine sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni.  On August 1, 2024, the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result.  Further laboratory testing, completed on August 5, 2024, confirmed the presence of Campylobacter jejuni in the raw milk sample.  The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of this harmful bacteria.

The Department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from HuHill Farm immediately dispose of it and call the farm at (518) 860-8098.

People with Campylobacter jejuni infection usually have diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the diarrhea. These symptoms usually start 2 to 5 days after the person ingests Campylobacter and last about one week. Sometimes Campylobacter infections cause complications, such as irritable bowel syndrome, temporary paralysis, and arthritis. In people with weakened immune systems, such as those with a blood disorder, with AIDS, or receiving chemotherapy, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a life-threatening infection.

It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time. Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including campylobacteriosis.