Milk recall

Friday, January 27, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

Officials at Saputo Inc. are continuing to investigate how cleaning solution ended up in its Neilson Trutaste 2% Microfiltered Partly Skimmed Milk, says a company spokesperson.

“Obviously it’s the same cleaning solution that is used to clean the plant” but company officials don’t yet know how it got into the milk, says Sandy Vassiadis, corporate communications director.

Saputo, Canada’s largest dairy processor and the twelfth largest in the world, is voluntarily recalling the product from the marketplace. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

Garfield Balsom, CFIA food safety and recall specialist, says the main message in its public alert is to inform consumers of the product and that if they have it they shouldn’t drink it.

The product was sold in four-litre bags bearing the UPC number – 066800 00404 4 and the best before date of Feb. 12. The best before code of 1590 FE12 H7 appears on the bag closure. No other codes were affected.

The product was distributed in Ontario and Aylmer, Quebec. Vassiadis says the milk production of one day was affected but she doesn’t have an exact number. “It’s a minimal amount.”

The CFIA also doesn’t have “an exact idea of the quantity being recalled,” Balsom says.

Vassiadis says consumers can return the product to the store where they bought it for a full refund. So far, Saputo has been able to retrieve all of the milk that remained in affected stores in Ontario and that was sent back to its distribution centres for the investigation.

One person complained about stomachaches after consuming the milk and called Saputo. “We did retrieve the milk,” Vissiadis says.
 
Balsom says there have been no serious illnesses reported from people drinking milk.

Milk contaminated with the cleaning solution may not look or smell spoiled. But consumption may cause nausea, upset stomach, burning sensations or vomiting.

More information on the voluntarily recall and alert is available on the CFIA’s website. BF