Silk Soymilk Recalled

I don't usually post news of recalls of food items because they may contain traces of milk. There are other sites that cover this in detail.

In fact, I took the news of this case directly off the Food and Drug Administration website.

Mount Crawford, Virginia -- April 23, 2008 --- WhiteWave Foods Company is voluntarily recalling 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein. The individual bottles are printed with both a "use by" date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 2529360028. Consumers can find this information on the back of the individual bottle.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of a health problem or illness if they consume this product. Some reactions have been reported.

This affected product was distributed nationwide and reached consumers through retail and foodservice outlets. WhiteWave's sales team is working with distributors to actively recover any affected product remaining on store shelves.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RECALLED PRODUCT

This recall includes only 11-ounce single serve plastic bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor with both a "use by" date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a UPC code of 2529360028. Consumers should look for this information on the back of the bottle.

The Company apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers. Consumers who purchased the product may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Consumers with questions can contact the Company at 1-800-587-2259.

The Food and Drug Administration has been notified of this recall.

Milk contamination in any food is a serious issue. Milk contamination in soymilk gets right to the heart of the milk alternative community. Some reports of reactions have been collected in various areas nationwide, although none appears to be serious.

Because few firms can afford to dedicate plants to absolute non-dairy use, most foods are susceptible to cross-contamination in industrial processes. It's an important reminder that even vigilance in reading labels and trusting brand names can't always protect you or your families.

You can't go through life mistrusting every bite of food either. The best course is to regularly check the FDA (click on Recalls & Safety Alerts) or allergy sites that follow recalls or create a news alert through Google or Yahoo or one of the other services to flag recall announcements. And if you are dangerously anaphylactic, always carry an Epipen or the equivalent.