If You Have This Milk in Your Fridge, You Should Get Rid of It Now

Due to contamination of this beloved brand of milk, there's been a recall of 21 products.

Everyone is stocking up on groceries again as coronavirus cases surge. And if you did your big shop this weekend, there's a good chance you bought one of the biggest staples in every refrigerator: milk. If that's the case, however, you need to make sure you don't have an unpleasant surprise waiting in the fridge for you. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just posted a product recall notice for one creamery around its glass-bottled products because of a suspected issue in the bottle-sanitizing process. Read on to learn if your bottle could be affected, and for another recent recall that should be on your radar, know that If You Use This Mouthwash, You Need to Get Rid of It Right Now.

Homestead Creamery dairy products have been recalled.

homestead creamery milk bottle
Homestead Creamery

The recall notice suggests that a whole range of products from Homestead Creamery of Wirtz, Virginia, went through an error in the sanitization process, which has raised the risk that the bottles in question could have a strong "sanitizer" odor that may affect the taste and quality of the drink. "The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product smelled like cleaning agent," the FDA reports. All of the affected products from Homestead Creamery are sold in returnable glass bottles.

"The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is warning the public to be on the lookout for these products," West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said in a statement. "If you suspect you have purchased tainted goods, we encourage consumers to return those products to the retail store they purchased it from or discard the product." And for another danger that could be lurking in your home, check out This Common Household Item Has Been Recalled Over Fire Risk.

And it's not just milk that's affected.

lemonade from homestead creamery
Homestead Creamery

The recall affects 21 Homestead Creamery products, ranging from standard milk to chocolate milk to heavy cream to eggnog to lemonade, among other drinks. A full list with code numbers and best buy dates (which are located on the side of the bottle cap) can be found here on the FDA's page. And if you take any prescription medication, know that This Commonly Prescribed Drug Has Just Been Recalled.

These recalled products were sold in 23 states.

milk and dairy aisle at walmart
Eric Glenn / Shutterstock

Returnable glass bottles from the affected batches were distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia in October through retail stores, direct delivery, and wholesale distributors. And for another risk you may not know about in your kitchen, know that If You Use This in Your Oven, You Need to Stop Now.

But the good news is, "no serious illnesses" have been reported.

Pouring a Glass of Milk Food Bad for Cats
Shutterstock

Despite the smell of cleaning agent, there is no known risk to public health at the present time and the FDA states that "no serious illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem." Any consumer who has purchased one of the problem bottles should return it to the point of purchase for a full refund. You can also call the company at 540-721-2045 on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. And for more on food safety, Trader Joe's Just Recalled This Product for Posing Life-Threatening Risk.

John Quinn
John Quinn is a London-based writer and editor who specializes in lifestyle topics. Read more
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