Lactaid milk recalled in 27 states due to potential for undeclared almonds
(NEW YORK) — Lactaid milk is being recalled due to the potential presence of almonds, a common tree nut allergen.
The Food and Drug Administration and HP Hood LLC announced the voluntary recall Sept. 20.
HP Hood said it discovered the potential almond contamination following a “routine maintenance” review but also said they have not received any reports of any illnesses so far.
Five varieties of refrigerated Lactaid milk in 96-ounce containers are included in the recall – whole milk, 2% milk, 1% milk, fat-free milk, and calcium-enriched milk – for potentially having trace amounts of almonds, which are undeclared in the recalled milk products’ ingredients list.
The recalled milk products were shipped to retailers and wholesalers in 27 states in September.
A list of Lactaid milk containers affected by the recall and their best by dates, product names and expiration dates can be found on FDA’s website.
Customers with the recalled Lactaid milk, which doesn’t contain the lactase sugar found in traditional cow’s milk, are advised to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Impacted customers can also reach out to Hood Consumer Affairs at 800-242-2423. The call line is available on weekdays between 9 a.m. ET and 5:00 p.m. ET.
In a statement Monday, HP Hood LLC told “Good Morning America,” it was recalling the 96-ounce containers of Lactaid milk “out of an abundance of caution because the product may contain trace amounts of almond, which is not listed on the label.”
“HP Hood, the manufacturer of Lactaid Milk products, has long recognized consumer and public health concerns related to the potential presence of undeclared allergens in food products. Hood’s allergen and sanitation management programs are aligned with all regulatory and industry standards,” the company said.
(NEW YORK) — A recall on apple juice due to potentially harmful levels of arsenic has expanded to include more brands sold at several additional retailers across the country.
The initial voluntary recall by Refresco Beverages was first announced in a class 2 enforcement report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month and included 9,535 cases of Great Value 100% Apple Juice sold at Walmart. On Monday, the recall was updated to a total of 133,500 cases of juice, which were sold at several stores in addition to Walmart, under varying brand names.
According to the FDA’s report, the recalled product “contains inorganic arsenic above action level set in guidance to industry.”
“The safety of consumers is always our top priority,” the Tampa, Florida-based Refresco Beverages said in a new statement on its website. “On August 23, 2024, out of an abundance of caution, we voluntarily initiated a recall of some select lots of 100% apple juice products produced using supplier provided concentrate when we became aware that previously manufactured product contained inorganic arsenic slightly above the FDA’s 10 ppb (parts per billion) action level as set by the FDA in June 2023 in the FDA Final Guidance to Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice.”
“At this time there are no reported incidents caused by these products,” the statement continued. “We are working diligently to address the situation and encourage consumers to check the FDAs recall list … and use the information on their site to determine if they are in possession of products that fall within this proactive, voluntary recall.”
Apple juice recall expands to more brands, retailers
The newly expanded recall now includes juice that was sold at Aldi, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Market Basket, Walgreens and Weis Markets, under brands such as Nice! 100% Apple Juice and Clover Valley 100% Apple Juice, among others.
Click here for the full list of affected products from the FDA.
Originally, the Great Value brand apple juice sold at Walmart in 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia was the only brand recalled by Refresco Beverages.
Product details of recalled apple juice by store
The first wave of contaminated Great Value beverages in question were sold in six-packs of 8-ounce plastic bottles with the UPC code 0-78742-29655-5. The product had a “best if used by” date code of DEC2824 CT89-6.
All of the products were produced by Tampa, Florida-based Refresco Beverages US Inc.
Below, see details for the items included in the newly expanded recall.
Walmart
Recalled products sold at Walmart include Great Value 8-ounce Apple Juice in six-pack plastic bottles with “best if used by” dates of Dec. 26 and Dec. 27, 2024, and Great Value 96-ounce Apple Juice with “best by” dates of Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, 2024.
The six-pack juice bottles were sold in stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. The 96-ounce containers were sold in Walmart stores in Indiana, Ohio, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and Virginia.
Aldi
Aldi is recalling Nature’s Nectar 64-ounce plastic bottles of 100% Apple Juice with “best by” dates of March 26 and 27, 2025. This product bears the UPC code 4099100036381 and was sold at Aldi stores in 16 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wisconsin, according to a press release from Aldi U.S.
Walgreens
Walgreens is recalling Nice! 100% Apple Juice 64-ounce bottles with a March 25, 2025, “best by” date. The products were sold in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Key Food
Key Food is recalling Urban Meadow 100% Apple Juice sold in 64-ounce bottles with a March 26, 2025, “best by” date. The products were sold in Pennsylvania stores.
BJ’s Wholesale Club
BJ’s Wholesale Club is recalling Wellsley Farms 100% Apple Juice 96-ounce bottles with a “best by” date of March 26, 2025. These products were sold in Florida, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Dollar General
Dollar General is recalling Clover Valley 100% Apple Juice with a “best by” date of March 27, 2025. The product was sold at the discount retailer locations in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio and South Carolina.
Weis
Weis 100% Apple Juice 64-ounce bottles with a “sell by”‘ date of March 25, 2025, are also impacted by the expanded recall. The products were sold at stores in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Market Basket
The supermarket chain is recalling Market Basket 100% Apple Juice from concentrate in 64-ounce plastic bottles with the “best by” date March 25, 2025. The impacted product was sold in Maine.
Lidl
Lidl is recalling Solevita 100% Apple Juice 64-ounce plastic bottles with the “best by” date March 27, 2025. This product was sold in Virginia.
Company responds to apple juice recalled over arsenic levels
In an earlier statement to ABC News when the recall was first initiated, a representative for Refresco said, “We are aware that certain lots of the 100% apple juice we previously manufactured contains inorganic arsenic slightly above the FDA’s 10 ppb (parts per billion) action level in the FDA Final Guidance to Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice, which aims at reducing the dietary exposure of contaminants to as low as possible. As a result, impacted products are being voluntarily recalled.”
The statement continued, “At this time there are no reported complaints or incidents of illness caused by the product. Per the FDA, it is not possible to completely prevent arsenic from entering the food supply, yet exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic can have adverse health effects.”
The representative added that “the safety of consumers and the satisfaction of our customers are our top priorities” and that the company is “working diligently to address the situation.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story was published on Aug. 26, 2024.
(NEW YORK) — The first person in New York state to be diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in nearly a decade has died, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Monday.
The case was confirmed on Sept. 20 in Ulster County — located along the Hudson River — by the state Department of Health. It is currently being investigated by the county Department of Health.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald previously issued a Declaration of an Imminent Threat to Public Health after the EEE diagnosis, which allows the state to deploy resources including mosquito spraying efforts from Sept. 30 to Nov. 30, 2024.
“Eastern equine encephalitis is different this year. While we normally see these mosquitoes in two to three counties each year, this year they have been in 15 counties so far, and scattered all over New York State,” McDonald said in a statement. “This life-threatening mosquito-borne disease has no commercially available human vaccine and must be taken seriously. Mosquitoes, once a nuisance, are now a threat.”
“I urge all New Yorkers to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing and removing free-standing water near their homes. Fall is officially here, but mosquitoes will be around until we see multiple nights of below freezing temperatures,” the statement continued.
The New York case is likely at least the eleventh case of EEE so far this year, according to an ABC News tally. This also includes the 10 known cases listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website.
Beyond New York, cases have been reported in Massachusetts, with four; New Hampshire, with two; and in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, with one each.
Between 2003 and 2023, there have been at least 196 EEE cases reported in the U.S., including 176 hospitalizations and 79 deaths, CDC data shows.
Most people who are infected with EEE show either mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, according to the CDC. However, severe cases usually present with fever, headache, chills and vomiting before progressing to the more serious encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
About one-third of all people who develop severe EEE die from the illness, the CDC says, while survivors can experience ongoing physical and neurological problems, including seizures, paralysis, cranial nerve dysfunction, personality disorders, and intellectual disabilities that can range from mild to severe.
There are no vaccines for EEE and health officials say the best protection is to prevent mosquito bites.
Health officials recommend wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants, and tucking shirts into pants and pants into socks, at dusk or dawn, which are times of day when mosquitoes are most active.
Additionally, it is recommended to use insect repellent with DEET, to use screens on windows and doors, and to eliminate all standing water around the home where mosquitoes can breed.
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud and Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The federal government will restart its free at-home COVID tests program in September as officials prepare the country for the upcoming respiratory virus season.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday that this is the seventh time the Biden-Harris administration has allowed Americans to order over-the-counter tests at no charge.
It’s not clear when the website, COVID.gov/tests, will come back online. The website stopped accepting orders in early March.
“As families start to move indoors this fall and begin spending time with their loved ones, both very old and very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them sent directly to their homes,” O’Connell told reporters. “These tests will help keep families and their loved ones safe this fall and winter season.”
She added that the tests will be able to detect infection from currently circulating variants.
During the same media briefing, federal officials said the summer uptick of COVID cases is not leading to a similar surge in hospitalizations and deaths as seen in previous years.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said immunity from vaccination and previous COVID infection have helped limit the burden of COVID on the health care system.
“I do want to acknowledge that we continue to see a lot of COVID-19 activity across the country right now in tests coming back from labs,” Cohen said, adding, “Circulating COVID disease is not translating into similar increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations or deaths.”
Cohen said the severity of COVID is starting to look similar to flu but noted that COVID is still more dangerous.
According to a federal forecast for the upcoming respiratory virus season, the U.S. can expect similar or slightly improved figures in terms of peak hospitalizations when looking at COVID, flu and RSV together, she said.
“We know that protection decreases over time, and certain groups continue to be at higher risk from COVID and other viruses and we need to continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Cohen said.
Officials also reiterated who should get vaccinated for COVID, flu and RSV ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season.
For COVID-19 and flu, the CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive a COVID and flu vaccine, including pregnant women. Cohen said individuals can receive both vaccines at the same time.
On Thursday, the FDA approved and granted emergency use authorization for updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for the upcoming fall and winter season.
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers told ABC News the vaccines are expected to be available in the coming week.
For RSV, all infants younger than 8 months old and infants between 8 months and 18 months who are high risk should get vaccinated. RSV vaccination is also recommended for pregnant women between 32 weeks and 36 weeks gestation as well as all adults ages 75 and older and adults between ages 60 and 74 who are at high risk.
In addition to tests, O’Connell said Paxlovid, an antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19 infections for those at risk of hospitalization, will be available for free for individuals on Medicare and Medicaid as well as for those who are uninsured.
Beginning in 2025 and running through 2028, Pfizer, which manufactures Paxlovid, will take over the patient assistance program for individuals who are uninsured and underinsured, O’Connell said.
Additionally, Merck’s patient assistance program will continue to administer Lagevrio, an antiviral used to treat patients in need of hospitalization from COVID-19, to those who are uninsured.
“Distributing at-home tests and securing access to treatments is an essential part of the Biden Harris administration’s efforts to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for the upcoming fall and winter respiratory season,” O’Connell said.