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KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS“Immediately upon notification from Lyons Magnus, we began working closely with our distributors to remove the recalled product from the marketplace,” Summerland-based Kate Farms told the News-Press.
Summerland-based Kate Farms, a maker of organic plant-based nutrition shakes and formulas, was one of dozens of companies swept up in a voluntary product recall after third-party distributor Lyons Magnus LLC alerted the FDA to the potential that some products may have been contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii and Clostridium botulinum bacterias.
Lyons Magnus first initiated the voluntary recall on July 28, 2022 and included just five lots of Kate Farms’ Pediatric Standard 1.2 Vanilla product. The recall was subsequently expanded on Aug. 10 to include more than 40 lots of eight other products the company produces for Kate Farms.
“This recall is being conducted due to the potential for microbial contamination, including from the organisms Cronobacter sakazakii and Clostridium botulinum,” Lyons Magnus said in a statement. “Although Clostridium botulinum has not been found in products, consumers are warned not to consume any of the recalled products even if they do not look or smell spoiled … Root cause analysis indicates that the products did not meet commercial sterility specifications.”
Anyone who has a recalled product in their possession is instructed to dispose of it immediately or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
According to the CDC, Cronobacter sakazakii can be deadly for infants, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems; while healthy individuals outside of those categories can experience urinary tract infections and issues with cuts, scrapes, and areas of the body that have been subject to surgery.
Food-born Clostridium botulinum, also known as botulism, can be deadly for all individuals if left untreated. Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea in adults and adolescents. Infants can experience constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, a weak cry, pupils that are slow to react to light, and difficulty breathing.
“The health and safety of our customers is Kate Farms’ highest priority. Lyons Magnus, a third-party manufacturer, issued a voluntary recall of more than 20 companies’ finished products manufactured at their Beloit, Wisconsin facility,” Kate Farms said in an email to the News-Press. “Before Kate Farms released any products produced there, we conducted a variety of tests, and we have done subsequent additional testing on the lots produced by Lyons Magnus. Products must pass Kate Farms’ quality testing before they can be released, and to date, Kate Farms has not identified issues in testing these products.
“Immediately upon notification from Lyons Magnus, we began working closely with our distributors to remove the recalled product from the marketplace,” Kate Farms told the News-Press.
Despite the recall, Kate Farms expressed confidence in its ability to continue to provide products to consumers — some which are used for individuals experiencing extraneous health issues that hinder or prevent the ability to consume solid foods.
“Kate Farms utilizes several other manufacturers, has available inventory to send our customers a resupply, and, to date, has had no business disruptions. Our customer care team has been working closely with our customers to help with resupply and answer any questions,” the statement continued.
For more information on the voluntary recall, and to view which products have been affected, visit myproductinformation.com/product-information.
email: jdaniels@newspress.com
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