July 7, 2009

   
Food distributors across the US are recalling nonfat dry milk, cocoa and other food products that are linked to a salmonella contamination at a Plainview, Minnesota, milk processor.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Plainview Milk Products Cooperative was recalling instant nonfat dried milk, whey protein, fruit stabilisers and food thickening agents that it made over the past two years because they might be contaminated with salmonella.

FDA spokeswoman, Stephanie Kwisnek, said there are so far no reported illnesses and that none of the products were sold directly to the public. Plainview sold the products to other distributors, and also manufacturers who may have used them in their products, said Kwisnek.

Retailer Meijer Inc. is recalling one type of its Meijer Brand Instant Nonfat Dry Milk sold in Meijer stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

CPI Foods Inc. recalled about 15,000 packets of nonfat dry milk, which are parts of shelf-stable meal kits distributed to community service companies in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, West Virginia, North Carolina, Nevada and Kentucky.

Precision Foods Inc. is recalling certain Madagascar Vanilla cocoa labelled as Land O Lakes International Drinking Cocoa "Madagascar Vanilla". It was distributed nationally in retail stores and through mail orders, the company said.

NOW Foods has also recalled products containing whey protein concentrate. McClancy Seasoning Co. recalled Alba instant nonfat dry milk products and various Alba snack shake mixes.

East Coast grocery chains Giant Food and Stop & Shop also issued recalls of some of their dried milk products.

The FDA said it is working with these companies to remove the potentially contaminated products from the marketplace.