Before you enjoy your next bowl of cereal, you may want to do a quick check of your milk, because yet another popular vegan milk has just been recalled for containing actual milk. Woolworths on April 20 recalled its Macro Certified Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk and Macro Certified Organic Naturally Sweet Rice Milk after the products were found to contain undeclared milk, posing a possibly life-threatening risk to some consumers.
The recall only impacts consumers in Australia, where the Macro Certified Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk was sold in one-liter cartons at Woolworths stores only in Victoria, according to a recall notice posted by Food Standards Australia. Also available in one-liter cartons, the recalled Macro Certified Organic Naturally Sweet Rice Milk was available for purchase at Woolworths in New South Wales and Queensland. Both products were available for purchase from 6 April 2022 to 19 April 2022. Consumers can identify the recalled milk through their date markings, with the recalled coconut milk marked “03/04/2023” and the recalled rice milk marked “29/03/2023.”
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The new recall comes weeks after separate vegan milk was recalled for a similar reason. On April 8, Coles Supermarkets Pty Ltd recalled its Coles Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk after it was found the product was incorrectly labeled as being suitable for vegans. The product contained milk, which was not declared on the label.
Milk is one of the most common food allergies in children and can pose a potentially life-threatening risk for those with a milk allergy. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of a milk allergy occur a few minutes to a few hours after consumption of milk or a milk product and range from mild to severe. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, they commonly include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Milk is the third most common food, after peanuts and tree nuts, to cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing.
In both of the recent milk recalls, Food Standards Australia has urged consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance not to consume the recalled products. Instead, consumers can return the recalled coconut and rice milk it to their nearest Woolworths Supermarket or Metro Stores for a full refund. The recalled Coles Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.
