Othello dairy recalls pasteurized milk
CBH Columbia Basin Herald Local News
OTHELLO - No stores in Grant or Adams counties sold recalled products from an Othello dairy.
Certain milk products from Pure Eire dairy in Othello are being recalled due to improper pasteurization, said dairy owner Richard Smith on Tuesday.
The operation is voluntarily recalling its organic pasteurized non-homogenized skim, reduced fat, whole and heavy cream milk products expiring on May 15, 18 and 20.
A recent state Department of Agriculture inspection at the dairy revealed that the airspace above the milk failed to reach pasteurization temperatures.
Recalled milk was sold in Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Spokane and in areas in Western Washington. Consumers can return the recalled products to the store they bought it at for a refund.
Smith said pasteurized milk products from his dairy are not sold at stores in Moses Lake or other parts of Grant County. Pure Eire raw milk products are in the area, but the recall does not effect the dairy's raw milk products, he said.
To see where Pure Eire products are sold, visit www.pureeiredairy.com/vendors.html.
Smith said both the milk and the airspace above the milk must reach certain temperatures in order to be considered legally pasteurized. Proper pasteurization is effective in eliminating illness-causing bacteria, he said.
On three occasions, the milk reached pasteurization temperatures but the airspace above it did not, he said.
"The milk was at, or exceeded, the right temperature and we feel very comfortable with that," said Smith. "While nothing has been found wrong with the milk, we're trying to be proactive and act with an abundance of caution."
Smith said there are currently no reports of human illness associated with the recalled products.
The recalled pasteurized milk products are sold in plastic and glass 8-ounce, half-gallon and gallon containers. The products have an expiration date sticker on the cap of the container, according to Smith.
Only the pasteurized milk products with expiration dates of May 15, 18 and 20 have been recalled, he said.