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Milk Recall: Stop Drinking These Things Immediately (Coffee Drinks & More)
August 18, 2022
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to stop drinking certain milk products immediately due to the threat of botulism and other microbial concerns. The expanded milk recall, announced Aug. 16, includes dozens of products under various brand names, including ready-made coffee drinks, protein shakes, lactation smoothies, dairy-free milk replacements, organic milk and more.
While no products have knowingly tested positive for Clostridium botulinum, the company said a “root cause analysis indicates that the products did not meet commercial sterility specifications.”
Milk Recall: Why It’s a Big Deal
Lyons Magnus LLC announced the recall due to potential concerns over contamination, including from the organisms Cronobacter sakazakii and Clostridium botulinum.
The FDA said the latter can cause a severe form of food poisoning that can set in six hours to two weeks after eating food containing the toxin.
Symptoms include:
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Drooping eyelids
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty swallowing
- Muscle weakness
Botulism poisoning can cause respiratory paralysis, resulting in death, unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided.
The FDA said that even if a product appears unspoiled, it should still not consume it if it is on the recall list below.
View the list of recalled products here.
According to the FDA, Cronobacter sakazakii is rare, but common symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Urinary tract infection
Vulnerable and immunocompromised populations may be more susceptible to infection.
How to Identify Recalled Products
Because the products are sold under various brands, the FDA urges consumers to check the lot code and best by date, and cross check it with this list of recalled products. For individual cartons, that information will be on the top of the carton; for multi-carton cases, look at the side of the box.
Complicating matters is this: The recall news release noted that products included in the recall were distributed starting in April 2021.
The FDA release noted that anyone with a recalled product should dispose of it immediately or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers may contact the Lyons Recall Support Center at 1-800-627-0557, or visit its website at www.lyonsmagnus.com.
The latest milk-related recall comes on the heels of another. Earlier in the month, Royal Crest Dairy issued a voluntary recall due to a possible contamination of egg, a common allergen, in its Farmer’s 2% Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk Pints. That recall was limited to Colorado, while the latest one contains some products that were distributed more locally and nationwide.
