Tainted cheese death confirmed

Photo: Carmen Weld - Central Okanagan

A photo of Gort's Gouda cheese taken in Kelowna on Tuesday - the batch being sold is not in the same lot # as the E. coli infected cheese.

A BC medical health official confirms the British Columbia resident who ate cheese that contained E. coli died because of the bacteria.

Dr. Rob Parker, with the Interior Health Authority, says he followed up with the family physician of the person who died and has concluded the primary cause of death was the E. coli infection.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled 14 raw milk cheese products sold at Gort's Gouda Cheese farm in Salmon Arm, BC.

Eleven cases of E. coli in Alberta and BC have been linked to the cheese.

The farm's co-owner, Kathy Wikkerink, was in tears after learning of the link to the death, saying the business is sorry and is trying to find the cause of the bacteria.

She says they will gladly apologize to the family of the unnamed person who died, but they can't undo the death because God is in control.

Click here to listen to the interview with a person who was sick after eating the cheese and to hear from the owner.

Click here for the product info recall.

If you know of anyone who was sick after eating the cheese please send a note to [email protected].