On Tuesday, a man from Delaware County who sold raw milk cheese causing a listeria outbreak leading to the deaths of two people in 2016 was sentenced to probation.
Reports of illnesses have emerged from Vermont, Florida, Connecticut, and New York.
Johannes Vulto, aged 64, has been sentenced to three years of probation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks in Syracuse.
According to a news release from federal prosecutors, Vulto Creamery, the company owned by the individual in question, has been sentenced to one year probation. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and complete 240 hours of community service. It is worth noting that the company is no longer operational.
In March, Vulto admitted to a misdemeanor charge of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.
The creamery in Walton, which produced cheese, was connected to a listeria outbreak resulting in two deaths and eight hospitalizations.
In March 2017, the creamery was closed down by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a full recall was subsequently issued.
According to Vulto’s plea agreement, swabs collected from the creamery showed positive results for listeria species multiple times from July 2014 to February 2017. It is important to note that raw milk cheese is 112 times more likely to cause listeriosis compared to pasteurized cheese.
Listeria is made up of different species, some of which are harmless while others can be dangerous to humans. L. monocytogenes is one such species that can cause listeriosis, a serious illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeriosis infection can spread from the gut to the intestines, resulting in symptoms such as fever, flu-like symptoms, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. It is estimated that listeria is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. caused by foodborne illness, and it claims the lives of approximately 260 individuals annually.
