Milk, cream yanked off store shelves

[Guest guest]

From page A15 of today's Chron - another good reason to go vegan:

 

Milk, cream yanked off store shelves

Berkeley Farms items tainted with antibiotics

 

Carol Ness and Carl T. Hall, Chronicle Staff Writers Saturday, June 15,

2002

 

----------

----

 

 

 

Hayward -- Several milk and dairy products distributed to retailers

throughout Northern California by Berkeley Farms of Hayward are being

voluntarily recalled by the company after antibiotic contaminants were

discovered.

 

The California Department of Food and Agriculture said the recall is

" unprecedented. "

 

Because of the large number of products and their wide distribution, " this

is a significant incident, " said the department's spokesman Steve Lyle.

 

The company said it is recalling its full range of milk products sold under

10 brand names, including milk, cream, buttermilk and chocolate- and

strawberry-flavor drinks.

 

Only products bearing one of two plant codes -- 06-407 or 06-21 -- and

stamped with " sell by " dates in late June and early July are affected.

 

State health inspections turned up evidence of penicillin in the products,

creating the potential for lethal allergic reactions in certain people.

Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat animals, but producers are required

to take steps to keep the drugs out of the milk sold to consumers.

 

David Margulies, a spokesman for Dean Foods, parent company of Berkeley

Farms, and state health officials said that as of Friday afternoon, they had

received no reports of any illnesses attributed to drinking the residue-

tainted milk.

 

It's impossible to estimate how many gallons were already sold before the

recall was announced, Margulies said, calling the recall " precautionary. "

 

" We don't think anybody's in harm's way, " he said. " The problem was

discovered and we're still in the process of doing the recall. Trucks are

out right now getting it back from stores. "

 

All but one of the 10 brand names are sold exclusively in Northern

California.

 

Antibiotics are used routinely in dairy cows, but the residue found in the

Berkeley Farms milk exceeded allowable levels and sparked fear of allergic

reactions, according to the state Food and Agriculture Department.

 

The antibiotic was identified as penicillin G, used only in animals,

according to state health department spokesperson Norma Arceo. Any reaction

could be expected 72 hours after consumption.

 

Berkeley Farms began the recall Thursday evening, notifying about 3,000

grocery chains and stores statewide several hours before the company and the

state alerted the public.

 

By Friday morning, many stores had removed the suspect milk and restocked

their dairy cases with fresh containers.

 

Consumer confusion reigned Friday as milk drinkers scrambled to figure out

which plastic bottles and cartons were affected. Some Bay Area television

stations reportedly broadcast incomplete details, adding to the problem.

 

The products recalled were packaged early in the week and sold under these

brand names: Berkeley Farms, Albertsons, Good Day, Best Yet, Ralphs,

Mountain Dairy, Sysco (Wholesome Farms), Smart & Final, Dairy Dawn and Alta

Dena.

 

They were produced at plants in San Leandro and Hayward and identified on

cartons by the codes 06-407 or 06-21.

 

The recalled containers carried dates from June 24 through June 29,

depending on what they contained. The only exception was 1 percent low fat

buttermilk, which was dated July 2.

 

Consumers were asked to destroy the milk or return it to stores for a

refund.

 

Neither Berkeley Farms nor the state could say how much milk was recalled.

 

At Cal-Mart market in San Francisco's Laurel Village, dairy manager Jeff

Baumann said his store alone pulled 1,300 gallons and had already sold some.

 

State food and agriculture spokesman Jay Van Rein said the antibiotics

showed up in routine tests, which are done at least 10 times a year.

 

More tests are being conducted to determine precise amounts of residues and

what kinds of other antibiotics may be involved, he said.

 

Investigators from the state and Berkeley Farms were trying to determine how

the antibiotics got in the milk. While the drugs are used routinely, milk

from cows being treated with them is supposed to be kept separately,

according to Margulies.

 

Van Rein said each batch of milk entering the Berkeley Farms processing

plant is supposed to be tested, and antibiotics should be detected there.

 

" The question is, why wasn't it caught? That's what we and the state are

looking at, " said Margulies.

 

People with questions may contact Berkeley Farms at (888) 647-3326.

 

 

 

----------

----

Milk products recalled

These brands with plant codes 06-407 and 06-21 are in the recall: Berkeley

Farms, Albertsons, Good Day, Best Yet, Ralphs, Mountain Dairy, Sysco

(Wholesome Farms), Smart & Final, Dairy Dawn and Alta Dena.

 

The product types, container sizes and " sell by " dates of the recalled

products are: extra rich milk, gallon, June 24; vitamin D milk, 1/2 gallon,

June 25; 2 percent reduced-fat milk, pint, June 27; 1 percent low-fat milk,

pint, June 27; fat-free milk, 1/2 pint, June 27; manufacturing cream, 5

gallon,

 

June 27; heavy whipping cream, 1/2 quart, June 27; half-and-half, 4 oz.,

June 27; 1 percent low-fat chocolate milk, all sizes, June 29; vitamin D

milk, quart, June 28; 2 percent reduced-fat milk, pint, June 29; 1 percent

low-fat milk, 1/2 pint, June 29; fat-free milk, all sizes, June 29;

chocolate milk, all sizes, June 29; low-fat chocolate milk, all sizes, June

29; low-fat strawberry milk, all sizes, June 29; and 1 percent low-fat

buttermilk, 1/2 gallon, quart, 1/2 pint, July 2

 

For more information, call Berkeley Farms at (888) 647-3326.