Urgent Food Safety Alert: Two Dairy Products Recalled from UK Supermarkets
UK households are being warned not to consume two specific dairy items that have been urgently recalled from supermarket shelves. The recall affects popular dairy products stocked in a major UK supermarket chain after they were found to contain a harmful chemical substance.
Contaminated Products Identified
Jersey Dairy is recalling two items that have been declared "unfit for human consumption" due to contamination. The affected products are:
- 1L 2.5% fat reduced milk
- 250g unsalted butter
These products were sold in Waitrose stores across the UK and in supermarkets on the Channel Islands. The recall was initiated after an investigation revealed contamination during the manufacturing process.
Manufacturing Error Causes Contamination
The contamination resulted from an "error" during manufacturing at Jersey Dairy facilities. According to company officials, oil residue entered the milking system while equipment was being cleaned, which then contaminated milk collected from cows after that cleaning process.
A statement from Jersey Dairy released on Saturday, March 14 explained: "It seems that an oil residue got into the system, which then contaminated the milk collected from the cows after that cleaning."
Low-Level Contamination Below Detection Thresholds
Company officials emphasized that the level of contamination was extremely low, with calculations estimating it to be below 1 part per million (ppm). This concentration falls below standard testing detection thresholds, meaning these trace levels would not normally be identified through routine testing and quality control processes.
The statement continued: "Jersey Dairy maintains stringent, high-level testing protocols and procedures to ensure the safety and quality of all our products. While this incident demonstrates that extremely low-level traces below detection limits can occur, it also shows that robust procedures are in place to respond quickly and responsibly when issues are identified."
Precautionary Recall and Product Recovery
Once the contamination was identified, Jersey Dairy immediately contained the situation and initiated a precautionary recall of all potentially affected products. The company reports that most of the affected products have now been recovered, and disposal of the contaminated items is currently underway.
Importantly, Jersey Dairy has confirmed that all other Jersey Dairy products remain unaffected by this contamination incident and are safe for consumption.
Supermarket Response and Customer Instructions
A spokesperson for Waitrose stated: "In line with Jersey Dairy's instructions, we have removed the two products from sale and asked any customers who purchased affected batches of this product, not to consume it, and to return it to one of our shops for a full refund."
Customers who have purchased either the 1L 2.5% fat reduced milk or 250g unsalted butter from Waitrose or Channel Islands supermarkets are urged to check their purchases and return any affected products immediately for a full refund. Consumers should not consume these products under any circumstances due to the chemical contamination risk.
