More Than 145,000 Cartons of Almond Milk Recalled for Possibly Containing Actual Milk
Your morning coffee may need to find a new best friend because some half-gallon cartons of Vanilla Almond Breeze almond milk were just voluntarily recalled by HP Hood LLC, according to an announcement on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website.
These cartons weren't recalled for some parasite or bacteria contamination—no, they were recalled because they may contain normal milk, an allergen that isn't listed on the label.
The recall only affects refrigerated Vanilla Almond Breeze half-gallon cartons with "use by" dates before September 2, 2018 with a UPC barcode reading "41570 05621" and this specific information stamped on it:
USE BY: SEP 02 18 (07:36 – 20:48) H5 L1 51-4109
USE BY: SEP 02 18 (07:36 – 20:48) H5 L2 51-4109
USE BY: SEP 02 18 (07:36 – 20:48) H6 L1 51-4109
USE BY: SEP 02 18 (07:36 – 20:48) H6 L2 51-4109
Unfortunately, this includes 145,254 cartons that were shipped to 28 states. (See the FDA's announcement for the full list.) And, even more unfortunately, there has been one reported case of an allergic reaction in connection with the recall, but it did not require hospitalization.
Allergic reactions to milk are different from lactose intolerance, and they can be quite serious.
As SELF wrote previously, lactose intolerance arises when the body can't properly digest lactose, the sugar in milk, because it isn't producing enough of the enzyme (lactase) needed to do so. On the other hand, a milk allergy is an immune system reaction in response to the proteins in milk. This type of allergic reaction can cause symptoms that are on the mild end (like hives, itchiness, or digestive issues) or on the more severe end (like having trouble breathing).
People who avoid dairy for other reasons may be dismayed to find that their chosen milk source contains the one thing they thought it didn't, but drinking it won't necessarily put them in medical danger.
If you have some of the recalled almond milk in your fridge, you can return it for a full refund or exchange it at the store where you bought it. Or, if you have some extra time to kill this weekend, you can try making your own nut milk at home.
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