Public Health England (PHE) is working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and local authority environmental health officers on an investigation into two cases of E. coli O157 which may be linked to supply of unpasteurised or “raw” milk from a farm in Devon (Barton Farm Dairy, Kentisbury, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4NQ).

The FSA has issued a product recall information notice for all raw cows’ drinking milk produced by Barton Farm Dairy. PHE Health Protection Team consultants are working to determine if the two cases of E. coli O157 are linked, as both cases are known to have consumed unpasteurised cows’ milk supplied from Barton Farm Dairy.

The dairy is believed to supply milk and other products to doorsteps and businesses throughout the country and are co-operating with this investigation.

As a precaution, Environmental Health Officers have asked the dairy to stop selling and recall any raw drinking milk and to withdraw any raw milk products.

The FSA has issued a Product Recall Information Notice and is urging customers who received raw drinking milk from Barton Farm Dairy not to consume it and to contact the dairy directly on 01271 882283 or by emailing info@bartonfarmdairy.co.uk for further advice.

Dr Sarah Harrison, Deputy Director of Health Protection for the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset PHE Centre said: “The pasteurisation process is designed to kill a range of bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter which cause gastrointestinal infections. If milk does not undergo this process then it stands to reason that infections caused by some of these bacteria become a risk factor. Milk is an excellent environment for the growth of these bacteria so the level of contamination in a storage vessel could become quite high. For this reason we would not advise drinking raw milk but understand that some people still choose to do so.”