On July 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that food manufacturer Lyons Magnus LLC is voluntarily recalling various beverage products, including popular protein drinks, coffees, and plant-based milk, due to potential “microbial contamination.” The FDA specifically called out the organism Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacterium that can cause a rare but potentially serious infection. The FDA says that no illnesses have been reported yet, but a preliminary analysis found that the impacted products “did not meet commercial sterility specifications.”
A huge list of drinks is being recalled—53 items, to be specific—and it includes big-name brands like Oatly’s Barista Edition Oat Milk; Premier Protein’s Chocolate, Vanilla, and Café Latte Protein Shakes (in the carton); Intelligentsia’s ColdCoffee and Oat Latte cartons; and several Stumptown coffee drinks. The products were distributed across the country and retailers were not specified.
To see if a drink you own is impacted, the FDA recommends looking at the lot code and best by date at the top of the carton (for individual cartons) or the side of the case (for multi-carton cases) and comparing it to the FDA’s list of recalled beverages, since a wide range of brands and individual products are impacted.
Cronobacter is a germ that can live in very dry places, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s been detected in dry foods, like powdered infant formula, powdered milk, herbal teas, and starches. The FDA stresses that infections linked to Cronobacter sakazakii are not common, but possible symptoms can include fever, vomiting, and a urinary tract infection (UTI). People who are immunocompromised or otherwise “vulnerable,” including young children and the elderly, may face a higher risk of developing a severe infection, the FDA says, which would need to be swiftly treated with antibiotics.
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If you have a recalled product, the FDA is asking you to toss it immediately or return it to where you purchased it for a refund. You can also contact the Lyons Recall Support Center at 1-800-627-0557, or visit its website for more information.
Worth noting: Cronobacter was also behind the temporary closure of the Abbott Nutrition facility in Sturgis, Michigan, which contributed to the baby formula shortage earlier this year. That investigation is now closed and the plant has been reopened.
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Source: SELF
