New case of food poisoning in Trentino where a child consumed raw milk cheese and developed an intestinal infection. There is still too little talk about these risks and a law that imposes greater clarity on labels is increasingly urgent
We return to talking about the risks for children linked tointake of raw milk cheeses, after a new case of food poisoning was reported in Trentino. The news was given by the Prevention Department of the Provincial Company for Health Services (APSS) of Trento which announced that a 9-year-old boy developed an intestinal infection probably linked to the intake of a very well-known raw milk cheese: the Stink of Moena.
Following the report, an epidemiological investigation was promptly launched to identify the contaminated batch, which was immediately withdrawn from the market.
The risk for children (and not only) of consuming raw milk cheeses
The risk of intoxication resulting from raw milk cheeses, that is, those that do not undergo heat treatments such as pasteurization, it is known: these foods may contain dangerous pathogenic bacteriaespecially for children under 10 years old, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.
Unfortunately, however, given that in Italy there is still no specific law that obliges producers to indicate that that cheese should not be consumed by children and at-risk groups, cases of intoxication, even serious ones, occur cyclically. The consumption of unpasteurized products such as those from the mountain pastures, Brie or Puzzone di Moena, can trigger hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) in children, potentially deadly.
There pediatrician Carla Tomasini in the following video he explains well what the risks are of eating raw cheeses and how to protect children and the most fragile subjects.
The precedents and the new bill
Unfortunately, there have been many precedents: in November, a one-year-old girl from Cortina d’Ampezzo was poisoned by cheese contaminated with Escherichia coli, an episode that led to the recall of 50 lots of Saporito della Val di cheese Fassa. Furthermore, it is impossible to forget the tragic case of Elia, the child who died last May after contracting a serious illness Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by the consumption of raw milk cheese contaminated with Escherichia coli STEC.
In light of these episodes, one has finally been put forward bill which provides for the mandatory labeling of raw milk cheeses, with a clear and visible symbol which warns of the health risks for children under 10 and prohibits them from consuming these products. Pediatrician Tomasini underlines that this labeling could really make a difference, helping parents make safer choices for their children.
Currently, in fact, the label only indicates that the cheese is made from raw milk, but does not specify the risks to children’s health. Despite efforts to raise consumer awareness of the dangers, the risk therefore remains real, especially for the most vulnerable categories.
Health authorities urge you to pay maximum attention and scrupulously follow the recommendations regarding the consumption of these products. The APSS of Trento reiterates that:
It is recommended not to give raw milk cheeses to children.
