Nutritional drinks, including varieties of Oatly and Glucerna, are being recalled
Lyons Magnus, a nutritional beverage company, extended a voluntary recall of some varieties of popular products, including the oat drink Oatly, Optimum Nutrition protein powder and Glucerna shakes, because of the potential for microbial contamination, the company and federal authorities said this week.
The company said in a statement on July 28 that no illnesses or complaints related to the recalled products had been reported. A statement from the company on Wednesday announcing that several products had been recalled did not say whether anyone had become ill, and a spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the press releases.
The Food and Drug Administration released a list of 89 products, along with lot and case numbers involved in the recall, which came after “continued cooperation and consultation” with the agency, the company said in its statement. Some of the recalled products were distributed nationally, the company said.
The statement said “root cause analysis” indicated the products do not meet “commercial sterility specifications.”
FDA officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night.
The recalled brands include varieties of Organic Valley milk and Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee.
The company said the recalled products could potentially be contaminated with harmful organisms that include Cronobacter sakazakii and Clostridium botulinum. Cronobacter sakazakii is a bacterium that can cause life-threatening infections or inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spine. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that makes dangerous toxins that can cause a serious form of food poisoning, according to the World Health Organization.
“Although Clostridium botulinum has not been found in products, consumers are cautioned not to consume any of the recalled products even if they do not look spoiled or smell spoiled,” the company said in a statement also posted on the website of the US Food and Drug Administration. “Consumers are also advised not to consume products beyond their ‘best before’ date,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the symptoms of Cronobacter sakazakii, which is rare, can include fever, vomiting and urinary tract infection. Clostridium botulinum can cause illness anywhere from six hours to two weeks after eating contaminated food and can be fatal, the statement said. Symptoms may include impaired vision, droopy eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness.
