(Updated Dec 13, 2016. Valley Milk Products issued recall announcement on FDA website).
Valley Milk Products issued a recall of milk and buttermilk powder after FDA seized product due to the potential for Salmonella contamination. As reported a few days earlier, FDA seized product after an investigation found Salmonella in the environment, the same strains that had been hanging around for years. While FDA had urged the company to recall, they initially refused because they stated that testing had never found Salmonella in product. Well, FDA felt the environmental evidence was strong enough to warrant seizing product.
It is hard to guess the circumstances that were present to have this standoff, however, it does indicate that FDA will take action based upon conditions that might support adulteration, but not necessarily product contamination. In this case, the facility had some ongoing issues that should have been resolved, but the degree of risk is hard to guess.
FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm532828.htm
Valley Milk Products, Strasburg, Virginia Recalls Limited Amount of Milk and Buttermilk Powder Because of Possible Health Risks
For Immediate Release December 9, 2016
Contact
Consumers Michael Curtis mcurtis@mdvamilk.com 301-512-5053
Media Amber Sherian 703‐742‐6800, extension 7406
Announcement
View Product Photos
Valley Milk Products is announcing a recall of 50-pound bags of nonfat high heat milk powder and sweet cream buttermilk powder that were produced from December 10, 2015 to July 5, 2016 due to potential Salmonella contamination, which was identified at the manufacturing facility but not in tested finished product.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream such as septicemia, arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The products included in the recall can be identified by the following lot numbers which can be found in the lower right front of each bag.
·High Heat Nonfat Dry Milk Powder 50# bags with a shelf life of 18 months with the following Lot numbers # (see picture of the milk powder bag at the end of this notice):
H151210, H151226, H160106, H160126, H160212, H160406, H160422, H160621,
H151216, H151227, H160109, H160129, H160218, H160411, H160425, H160627,
H151217, H151230, H160111, H160201, H160222, H160412, H160502, H160705,
H151219, H151221, H151222, H151224, H151231, H160101, H160103, H160105,
H160112, H160115, H160119, H160125, H160202, H160205, H160208, H160211,
H160223, H160224, H160227, H160323, H160414, H160415, H160419, H160420,
H160504,H160506,H160510,H160608
· Sweet Cream Buttermilk Powder in 50# bags with a shelf life of 12 months with the following lot numbers: (see picture of the buttermilk powder bag at the end of this notice)
B151218, B160107, B160113, B160121, B160127, B160203, B160209,
B160215, B160216, B160225, B160302, B160316, B160326, B160418,
B160421
These products are not sold directly to consumers, but are used as ingredients in a number of foods uch as bakery products and distributed by brokers. None of the recalled finished product tested positive for Salmonella but environmental sampling performed by the FDA was positive for Salmonella. Valley Milk is currently investigating the cause for the positive environmental samples.
Below are some pertinent facts and references to aid food manufacturers in determining the disposition of their affected products.
For companies that used the Valley Milk recalled milk powder or buttermilk powder in a consumer ready-to-eat product and there is no FDA-recognized kill step or inactivation step in their processing system, their supplier should be immediately notified with such details as the product which contained the recalled Valley Milk powder products, the amounts of the products, whether these products are in storage or have already been distributed, where the distributed products are and records or other evidence that the recalled Valley Milk powder was used. Their supplier will in-turn notify Valley Milk.
The FDA is available to help companies review their specific processes and determine if additional action is warranted.
All customers that have received these products have been notified by Valley Milk and instructed to return the suspect powder or document the destruction of the powder, after contacting Valley Milk for specific instructions. In case someone identifies Valley Milk powders with the above lot numbers in their dry storage warehouse and has not been ontacted by a Valley Milk representative, please contact Michael Curtis at 301-512-5053 or mcurtis@mdvamilk.com immediately for instructions.
At Valley Milk Products, we are dedicated to producing dairy products that meet the highest quality and safety standards required by our customers as well as complying with all government food safety requirements. Valley Milk Products has a long history of producing these products from our own dairy farmers in the historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We will continue to work cooperatively with the FDA and the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide products that meet our customers’ requirements, meet or exceed government food safety standards and provide the nutritious benefits of dairy products to customers throughout the United States.
For additional information, please contact:
Amber Sherian
Director of Corporate Communications
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
1985 Isaac Newton Square West, Suite 200
Reston, Virginia 20190
703-742-6800, extension 7406
8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET
PRN Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/valley-milk-products-strasburg-virginia-recalls-limited-amount-of-milk-and-buttermilk-powder-300372402.html
Valley Milk Products, Strasburg, Virginia Recalls Limited Amount of Milk and Buttermilk Powder
News provided by Valley Milk Products LLC
Dec 02, 2016, 18:37 ET
STRASBURG, Va., Dec. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Valley Milk Products is announcing a recall of 50-pound bags of nonfat milk powder and sweet cream buttermilk powder that were produced from December 10, 2015 to July 5, 2016. The products included in the recall can be identified by the following lot numbers which can be found in the lower right front of each bag.
High Heat Nonfat Dry Milk Powder Loin 50# bags with a shelf life of 18 months with the following Lot numbers #:
H151210, H151216, H151217, H151219, H151221, H151222, H151224, H151226, H151227, H151230, H151231, H160101, H160103, H160105, H160106, H160109, H160111, H160112, H160115, H160119, H160125, H160126, H160129, H160201, H160202, H160205, H160208, H160211, H160212, H160218, H160222, H160223, H160224, H160227, H160323, H160406, H160411, H160412, H160414, H160415, H160419, H160420, H160422, H160425, H160502, H160504, H160506, H160510, H160608, H160621, H160627, H160705
Sweet Cream Buttermilk Powder in 50 # bags with a shelf life of 12 months with the following lot numbers #:
B151218, B160107, B160113, B160121, B160127, B160203, B160209, B160215, B160216, B160225, B160302, B160316, B160326, B160418,B160421
These products are not sold directly to consumers, but are used as ingredients in a number of foods such as bakery products. While these milk and buttermilk powder products received extensive testing by Valley Milk and no harmful agents were identified, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has raised concerns regarding the cleaning records for the drying equipment used to produce these products, casting doubt on whether these products may have contained salmonella. Testing by FDA as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia did not identify salmonella in any of these products; however, in order to ensure that its customers receive the highest quality and safest products possible, Valley Milk is initiating this voluntary recall.
All customers that have received these products have been notified by Valley Milk and instructed to return the suspect powder or document the destruction of the powder, after contacting Valley Milk for specific instructions. In case someone identifies Valley Milk powders with the above lot numbers in their dry storage warehouse and has not been contacted by a Valley Milk representative, please contact Michael Curtis at 301-512-5053 or mcurtis@mdvamilk.com immediately for instructions.
While there is no evidence that salmonella is in these powder products, Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream such as septicemia, arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
At Valley Milk Products, we are dedicated to producing dairy products that meet the highest quality and safety standards required by our customers as well as complying with all government food safety requirements. Valley Milk Products has a long history of producing these products from our own dairy farmers in the historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We have been and will continue to work cooperatively with the FDA and the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide products that meet our customers' requirements, meet or exceed government food safety standards and provide the nutritious benefits of dairy products to customers throughout the United States.
For additional information, please contact:
Amber Sheridan
Director of Corporate Communications
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
1985 Isaac Newton Square West, Suite 200
Reston, Virginia 20190
703-742-6800, extension 7406
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