Sure, you're used to checking your milk to make sure it hasn't soured, but there's another reason you need to be extra careful with your dairy this week. Consumers with a sweet tooth are being warned to check the contents of their fridge after a product recall was issued on cartons of a popular chocolate milk drink due to potential contamination. Read on to make sure your chocolate milk isn't affected by the recall, and for more food you may need to toss, know that If You Have This Beloved Snack at Home, Throw It Away Immediately.
The warning comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Hiland Dairy’s Low Fat Chocolate Milk. The recall applies to the one-half pint cartons of the 1 percent low fat chocolate milk, as some of the products may contain “food-grade sanitizers, which could cause illness if consumed.” The cartons in question can be identified by the UPC 72060-00156-3, the sell-by-date of Jan. 27, 2021, and the Plant Code 4025, the latter two of which are printed on the top edge of the carton. The affected products were sold and distributed in Oklahoma and Texas—specifically the Oklahoma City Metro Area; Western Oklahoma; Dallas, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; and Tyler, Texas.
“Hiland Dairy was saddened to learn that 8 cases of our half pint 1% chocolate milk from our Norman, Oklahoma plant had been improperly filled and caused a number of children and their families additional distress at an already worrisome time,” Gary Aggus, president and CEO of Hiland Dairy, said in a statement. “We offer assurances to our customers and consumers that no other products have been affected, and that we have quickly corrected this unfortunate breach in process, given the trust we know our customers place in us.”
While 400 cartons of chocolate milk were affected (eight cases each containing 50 units), Hiland Dairy is recalling all 4,800 cases made in that batch to be on the safe side for a total of 240,000 cartons. Any consumers with questions should contact Hiland Dairy directly.
For more on foods you need to avoid, read on, and for another notice about what you feed your furry family members, check out The FDA Warns These Pet Foods Have Killed More Than 70 Dogs.
1 | Hot Pockets
NestleOn Jan. 15, Nestlé recalled 762,615 pounds of Hot Pockets over fears of glass and plastic contamination in the product. The potentially affected Hot Pockets are the premium pepperoni variety with a "Best Before" date of Feb. 2022; lot code 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614, or 0321544614; and establishment number “EST. 7721A” printed inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) classified the recall as "Class 1," which the agency defines as a "health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." And for more microwave meals to skip, check out If You Have This Pre-Made Meal at Home, the USDA Says Throw It Out Now.
2 | Publix Steam-in-Bag vegetable meals
PublixOn Jan. 14, Publix Super Markets, Inc. announced the voluntary recall of three of its Publix Steam-in-Bag meals due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can "cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems." Three different varieties of the veggies were in the affected batch: Green Bean Butternut Squash, Season Butternut Medley, and Butternut Brussel Pecan (pictured here). The affected bags were sold between Jan. 3 and Jan. 14, 2021 and have GTIN codes 002-24887-00000, 002-25399-00000, and 002-25677-00000 on the packaging, respectively. Customers who bought one of the recalled products should return it to their local store for a full refund, says Maria Brous, communications director for Publix. And for another item to look out for in your kitchen, know that If You Have These Meats in Your Fridge, Get Rid of Them Immediately.
3 | Lavaa yogurt
EVR via FDAWhile you may think your yogurt is doing your body good, there's one variety that could be putting you at risk. On Jan. 11, the FDA announced a product recall of Lavva's Blueberry Plant-Based Yogurt due to potential mold contamination. The yogurt was voluntarily recalled by Lavva's parent company, EVR Foods. Though no illnesses related to the yogurt had been reported at the time of the recall, the blueberry flavor was earmarked as potentially contaminated, specifically the 5.3 ounce containers with the expiration date Feb. 21, 2021 and lot number 022121 printed on the bottom of the cup. The FDA says if you have the recalled yogurt at home, don't eat it; instead, return it to your point of purchase for a full refund. And for more regular recall news, sign up for our daily newsletter.
4 | Weis ice cream
WeisBefore you sit down to enjoy your next sundae, you need to make sure it's safe to eat. On Jan. 10, the FDA reported on a recall of two flavors of ice cream from manufacturer Weis Markets, which could potentially be contaminated with metal equipment parts. The recall includes 10,869 containers of Weis Quality Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (48 oz.) and 502 bulk containers of Klein's Vanilla Dairy Ice Cream (3 gallon); it came about after an intact piece of metal equipment was found in the cookies and cream flavor. The products—which are marked with the UPC number 041497-01253 and an Oct. 28, 2021 sell-by date—were sold at nearly 200 Weis Markets' stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Any customers who bought these ice cream cartons are advised to return them to the point of sale for a full refund. And for more products to steer clear of, check out why If You Bought This Home Product From Amazon, Return It Now.
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