FDA recalls food and drinks that may contain tainted milk-based ingredients

Even if you're not a fan of nonfat dry milk you should pay attention to a number of recalls being made by the Food and Drug Administration because the tainted milk—or related milk products—can appear as an ingredient in foods you do like such as popcorn, hot cereal and cocoa.

Giant, Kroger, Meijer, Stop & Shop and other well-known retailers have recalled a variety of foods made over the past two years with ingredients provided by Plainview Milk Products Cooperative in Plainview, Minn., because they might be contaminated with salmonella. Malt-O-Meal has recalled instant oatmeal products sold under a number of brand names that may also contain ingredients from Plainview.

None of Plainview's products were sold directly to the public. Plainview provides instant nonfat dry milk, whey protein, fruit stabilizers and food thickening agents to distributors, who may distribute them further, and to manufacturers to use in their own branded products.

This recall is reminiscent of another recall in which ingredients were the culprit -- the recall of almost 4,000 peanut products made with peanuts and peanut paste distributed by the Peanut Corporation of America (search the recall database). Like the peanut recall and the subsequent recall of pistachios (664 recalled products), the Plainview recall is being classified as a "major" recall and features a growing database of products.

Some of the recent recalls include:

• Giant brand nonfat dry milk
• Land O Lakes “Madagascar Vanilla” cocoa
• Meijer brand instant nonfat dry milk
• Malt-O-Meal  “Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal” sold under a variety of private labels
• CPI Foods brand nonfat dry milk
• NOW Foods products containing whey protein concentrate
• Stop & Shop brand nonfat dry milk
• Kroger brand popcorn seasoning

The recall follows an FDA investigation that found some Plainview processing equipment contaminated with salmonella. The investigation was sparked by a U.S. Department of Agriculture test that found a contaminated dairy shake powder produced by one of Plainview's customers, in "shelf-stable meal kits" distributed to consumers at home by community service organizations. So far, no illnesses have been associated with the dried-milk products.

Comments

[aknightlights]

skeeman: did you know the FDA is trying to get all food regulated so only THEY can tell you what you can buy or grow? It is in the process of getting rid of all personal gardens, personal beef, farmer's markets, etc. It starts by scaring us with threats of salmonella and e-coli. Then putting chips in our "backyard beef" (Personal meat supply) and telling us that even tomatoes grown on your patio might carry these diseases, so you can't grow them and only buy from "regulated" producers - which seem to be the ones producing the diseases!! Be careful what you wish for.

[Lucille Magnusan]

I understand that a timely and topical film documentary called Food, Inc. is coming out this summer and will deal with corporate America's chronic mishandlings within the food industry and the health repercussions we face because of this. I appreciate Alyssa's comment!

[Joe Wanores]

To find organic farms in their area people can go to www.localharvest.org/csa/
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.

The veggies we pick up on a Friday afternoon were harvested that morning on a farm 13 miles from our home. This is our second year and we have just one regret - the growing season in Eugene, Or. area doesn't last all year

[Anne Bradshaw]

I do so agree with Alyssa, but wish it were easier to find the real food people, and that they were close to every neighborhood. Making time to drive miles for natural products isn't always possible. I can hardly believe how far away from "natural" much of the nation's food has gone.

[Alyssa Pelllicano]

This article is just another argument for local, farm fresh foods for everyone! Find your vegie farmer, find your pastured meat farmer, find your fresh milk farmer! They are out there, and they do provide fresh, unadulterated, real food.
Grow some of your own if you can, and get back to acknowledging the rhythm of the four seasons. Gardening is not only 'healing' it reinforces self suffeciency and personal responsibility.

[skeeman]

Why are we having a problem with salmonella and e-coli in our food supply? The FDA needs more enforcement powers and much bigger staff.