Food safety is the main and important aspect of food processing sector. Due some reasons the safety of the food challenged and which affects on overall food supply chain. That leads to food recall of product from market.
In this article we will discuss about the voluntary food recall of dairy industry.
Food recall process
A food recall process is when a food manufacturer removes a product from the market, because it can cause people to become ill.
There are many reasons for food recalls, Such as presence of pathogens, or discovery of foreign materials. Ex. broken glass. Or it could be due to discovery of a major allergens, that not mentioned in the food label.
According to FDA: When a company announces a recall, Market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company’s announcement as a public service. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.
Dairy product consumed by most of the people around the world, they consume it almost all the time. Milk and milk product consumed during any meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner or even for dessert. But have you ever faced a problem with your milk before? And someone asked you, to take your milk out of the fridge and take it back to the market or destroy it?
Product recall of Prairie Farm
A specific brand recalls their chocolate milk due to cross contamination. Prairie Farm is a dairy farm that provides safe, and high-quality dairy products.
On November 25, Prairie Farms recall a flavored chocolate milk gallon and 1% low fat chocolate milk gallons from all markets because of an egg allergen.
Prairie Farms found that milk not labelled with an egg allergen that might be present. Leading to a risk for people having an allergy or extreme sensitivity to eggs.
How Prairie Farm initiated Food Recall Process
The recall initiated at the Rockford, Illinois factory, after cross-contamination with eggnog discovered following a valve malfunction. According to U.S food & drug the milk distributed at retail outlets in Chicago area, including the Northern Illinois Suburbs, Rockford, Illinois, and Southeastern Wisconsin. The total of milk distributed 1,152 units; 355 units of premium flavored chocolate and 797 units of 1% low fat chocolate milk.
This recall does not include Prairie Farms Chocolate Milk gallons manufactured at plants. Other than Rockford including Premium Flavored Chocolate, 1% Low fat Chocolate, 2% Reduced Fat Chocolate, and Fat Free Chocolate. Hence, to date, no outbreaks or illness have been recorded.
According to FDA:
“Customers who have purchased this product are encouraged to destroy the product or return it to their local retailer to exchange the product for a like item”.
In collaboration with the FDA, Prairie Farms Dairy actively working to thoroughly investigate the matter and comply with all necessary recall procedures. Prairie Farms also setting up mitigation measures to fix the problem.
Based on FDA classification of an egg, it’s one of the eight most popular allergenics foods. Allergic reaction caused by an egg range from relatively mild to a severe reaction. So, it’s important to label the food that might contain egg for people who has allergy to avoid any health problems.
The instruction must be followed by consumer, If they have the milk in their kitchen or fridge, they must destroy it or take it back to the market.
Conclusion
In the past few years, the number of food recalls in the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase. Most notably, food recalls are a public health concern, but they are significant economic issues as well. Food recall leads to a huge loss to the company; starting from money to brand loss and sales.
There are many reasons for food recall, like company have poor hygienic practice or weak HACCP and GMP programs. There might be different reason as well like an employee or operational mistake. Big companies and small one as well, try to minimize and prevent these mistakes to avoid food recalls. Which lead to a huge loss and harming human health.
