Urgent recall: Milk pulled from shelves over contamination fears

Customers across New South Wales are being urged to check their fridges as an urgent recall notice has been issued for Dairy Farmers milk within the state.

Supermarkets, including Coles, Woolworths and IGA, pulled two potentially-affected products from their shelves on Thursday after the brand’s manufacturer, Lion Dairy & Drinks issued an urgent recall notice due to potential microbial contamination (E. coli).

The affected products are Dairy Farmers 1L Full Cream white milk products with a Use by Date of 25/02/2020 and its Dairy Farmers 3L Full Cream white milk products with a Use by Date of 24/02/2020.

Anyone who has purchased the above products is being urged not to consume the product, as it could cause illness, and to dispose of the milk immediately, before calling Lion Dairy & Drinks’ consumer enquiry centre on 1800 677 852 for a full refund.

“This is a food safety issue. As this may cause illness if the product is consumed, Lion Dairy & Drinks immediately moved to recall the products from market,” a statement issued by Lion Dairy & Drinks read.

“The impacted products were manufactured at the Lion Dairy & Drinks’ Penrith dairy manufacturing site and have been distributed for sale across New South Wales through Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores and some independent outlets.”

The recall does not affect any other Dairy Farmers products made in New South Wales, and does not extend to any other states or territories.

The statement continued: “There have been no consumer complaints to date regarding these products. Lion Dairy & Drinks is committed to the highest standards of quality and safety and consumers and customers can be assured that we are undertaking a thorough investigation and will put in place steps to mitigate it happening again.”

According to the government’s Health Direct website, E. coli (Escherichia coli) are a group of bacteria that are found in the gut of almost all humans and animals. Some strains can cause illness, while others are harmless.

Minor illnesses such as diarrhoea and sickness can be contracted as a result of E. coli contamination, while urinary tract infections are also common. However the bacteria can also result in more serious health issues, such as pneumonia, meningitis and cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder).

Early symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea which often contains traces of blood. Anyone who believes they may be infected should seek medical advice.