Market Removes Brunton Dairy Products After Bacteria Scare

Popular products sold at are indefinitely unavailable as government agencies investigate the dairy they came from.

Terri Emma, the owner of the Upper St. Clair store, said she removed all Brunton Dairy products from the shelves after a Brunton Dairy representative said they were issuing a voluntary recall.

"On Saturday, we were asked not to sell the product as a precaution," Emma said. 

The Pennsylvania departments of Health and Agriculture and the Allegheny County Health Department are advising the public of the possible health risks associated with Brunton Dairy products, specifically the glass-bottled milk.

According to the government agencies, five individuals from Allegheny and Beaver counties—three young children and two older adults—developed diarrhea and other symptoms caused by bacteria called Yersinia enterocolitica. Investigators said all five people drank and became ill from pasteurized milk in glass bottles from Brunton Dairy from June 15 through July 17. Other persons in the same households also experienced a similar illness, but the cause of their illness was not confirmed.

“Until we can complete our investigation, we are recommending, in the interest of public health, that any glass-bottled milk from the dairy at homes or businesses be discarded or returned to the dairy, and that residents take precaution with other dairy products from Brunton Dairy,” Secretary of Health Dr. Eli Avila said in a press release.

Brunton Dairy is cooperating fully with the investigation and voluntarily stopped producing milk using its on-site pasteurization facility.

Government health officials recommend any person who consumed a product from Brunton Dairy and has symptoms of diarrhea to contact their health care provider to assure appropriate specimens are collected and treatment is administered, as Yersinia infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Ill individuals, health care providers or laboratories can contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PA-HEALTH or the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD.

The dairy did not inform Emma of when products will be available for purchase again.

"Until they feel better about what's going on," Emma said.