Chobani, Inc. has announced the voluntary recall of some of its Greek yogurt products affected by mold. The recall was prompted by reports of customer illnesses.
The recall comes about a week after the company first asked retailers to pull products from shelves, saying some containers were “swelling and bloating,” The Associated Press (AP) reports. Chobani had said it was not issuing a formal recall, but on Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was in contact with the company about the matter and the recall was announced on the FDA web site today.
Chobani said most of the affected products, which came from its Idaho facility, have already been pulled from shelves. The recall includes all flavors and various size containers: 3.5- and 6-ounce cups, 16- and 32-ounce tubs, and 5.3-ounce Flip containers. The recalled yogurt was distributed nationwide; it has the code 16-012 and expiration dates from September 11 to October 7. A complete recall list can be found at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm367298.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.
Chobani CEO Hamid Ulukaya said a type of mold commonly found in dairy environments caused the problem and the mold became a problem because the company does not use preservatives in its products, according to the AP. Ulukaya did not say how many illnesses had been reported but he said the issue has been “totally fixed.”
The company advises consumers to discard any of the recalled yogurt they have on hand and to contact the company’s Customer Loyalty Team at chobani.com/care or at 877-847-6181 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET about a refund or replacement.
