Cabot Creamery Butter Is Recalled Over Fecal Contamination Risk
Cabot Creamery is voluntarily recalling more than 1,700 pounds of butter in seven states after testing found that the products had elevated levels of fecal bacteria, federal safety regulators said.
Cabot, based in Waitsfield, Vt., is recalling 189 cases, or 1,701 pounds, of its eight-ounce, sea-salted Extra Creamy Premium Butter after it detected elevated levels of coliform bacteria. The contaminant is found in the feces of animals and humans, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The recall was initiated after 'finished-product testing revealing an elevated level of coliform bacteria,' Agri-Mark, the parent company, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The F.D.A. said the recalled butter was distributed in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. The white-and-black packages are marked with a best-by date of Sept. 9, 2025, and the lot number 090925-055.
The company said only 17 packages of the butter, or 34 sticks, were sold at retail outlets, all in Vermont. No other Cabot products were affected.
'Agri-Mark successfully recovered 99.5 percent of the lot of the recalled product before it was sold to consumers,' the company said.
On Tuesday, the F.D.A. labeled the recall a Class III, which means the health risk to consumers was relatively low.
'There have been no reported complaints or illnesses related to this product,' the company said. 'Agri-Mark is dedicated to food safety and producing quality products and is always monitoring its products for compliance.'
Coliform bacteria are found in the digestive tracts of people and animals, as well as in soil, on plants and in lakes and rivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, 'these bacteria generally will not make you sick,' the agency said.
The company's statement did not include recommendations for what steps consumers should follow. But generally with this type of recall, the safest option is to throw the recalled product away.
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Blood donations saved Mark Clinkenbeard, now he's holding his 5th annual blood drive
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