Antibiotic-Tainted Milk Recalled:
People allergic to antibiotics are at risk

AP 15jun02

Hayward, CA - Berkeley Farms issued a voluntary recall of some of its milk products Friday after a routine sampling detected antibiotics in the milk.

Inspectors for the California Department of Food and Agriculture discovered significant quantities of penicillin in milk from the Berkeley Farms plants in Hayward and San Leandro.

No illnesses had been reported Friday, but individuals who are allergic to antibiotics could have a reaction if they consume the tainted milk.

"There are really two questions: How did it get in the milk, and why did it get past the testing process?" said Berkeley Farms spokesman David Margulies.

Jay Van Rein, a spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, said Friday that the

department did not yet have answers to those questions. Van Rein said he did not know how much penicillin had tainted the milk, but said it was probably a significant amount.

The following brands of milk with the plant codes 06-407 and 06-21 are included in the recall: Berkeley Farms, Dairy Dawn, Ralph's, Mountain Dairy, Sysco (Wholesome Farms), Smart and Final, Albertson's, Good Day, and Best Yet.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture does random, unannounced testing of milk plants at least 10 times a year. Every milk load, however, is supposed to be tested by the company before it enters the plants.

It is not unusual to find antibiotics at dairies, because most farmers treat their cows with antibiotics as part of their health maintenance program, Margulies said.

Almost all the contaminated milk had been pulled from grocery store shelves by Friday afternoon, Margulies said.

Consumers are advised to throw away any product named in the recall, or return it to the store for a refund.

The tainted milk products being recalled The milk products being voluntarily recalled by Berkeley Farms were sold under the brand names Berkeley Farms, Dairy Dawn, Ralph's, Mountain Dairy, Sysco/Wholesale Farms, Smart & Final, Albertsons, Good Day, and Best Yet.

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; 12 gallon, quart, 1/2 pint, July 2;

Products can be returned to stores for a full refund. For more information, consumers can call Berkeley Farms at (888) 647-3326.