Gippsland Jersey recalls contaminated unhomogenised milk products
A local dairy producer has issued an urgent recall for two of its unhomogenised milk products on serious safety concerns.
Gippsland Jersey has recalled its 750ml glass-bottled milk with an August 13 expiry date after discovering a listeria monocytogenes contamination.
“Dear valued customers, we regret to inform you that a recent batch of Gippsland Jersey Unhomogenised 750ml glass-bottled milk dated August 13 is being recalled due to quality concerns that do not meet our stringent testing standards for food safety,” co-founder Steve Ronalds said.
According to Food Standards Australia, listeria monocytogenes may cause severe illness in pregnant women, unborn babies, neonates, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.
“The general population can also become ill from consuming food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes,” the safety agency said.
“Consumers should not eat these products.
“Consumers should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Camera IconGippsland Jersey recalled its unhomogenised 750ml and 2L products on August 1, 2024. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia
“Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.”
It is understood the milk products were sold at the Lamanna, Eggporium, Lean and Green, Pambula Fresh, Richie’s IGA Paynesville, David Luckes, Mallacoota Foodworks and Moontree stores.
The company’s 2L Unhomogenised milk sold in Cooma, NSW, is also affected.
“At Gippsland Jersey, we take food safety very seriously and we apologise for any inconvenience this recall may cause,” Mr Ronalds said.
The recall is another blow for the struggling independent dairy producer, which was left reeling after retail behemoth Coles decided to discontinue selling Gippsland milk in the majority of its stores.
“This decision by Coles overlooks the broader impact on family farms and rural communities, which depend on the viability of local dairy businesses like Gippsland Jersey to provide jobs and transport, etc and more importantly you would think in giving consumers a choice,” Mr Ronalds and fellow co-founder Sallie Jones said in June.
Gippsland Jersey milk, which is “proudly independent and Australian-owned”, was stocked in about 200 Coles stores.
A Coles spokesman said the company was committed to selling the brand “where we see most demand for this local brand from customers”.
Camera IconSteve Ronalds and Sallie Jones founded Victorian dairy producer Gippsland Jersey. Credit: News Corp Australia
“Giving customers choice when shopping is an important part of our offer at Coles.
“To ensure we have the right products available on shelf, we regularly review the ranges on offer to understand how items are being received by customers, and to help ensure the right products can be purchased by shoppers in parts of the country where there is most demand.
“We remain committed to continuing to support independent and local producers, and from July, we will focus on selling Gippsland Jersey in 16 stores in Victoria where we see most demand for this local brand from customers.”
Ms Jones and Mr Ronalds warned local dairy farmers were struggling to stay alive.
“Reduced milk prices will mean that more farmers will be questioning whether they sell up or change what they do with their land,” they said.
“Despite the assumption that higher retail prices mean better earnings for farmers, the reality is starkly different.
“Many dairy farmers struggle to maintain their livelihoods, let alone invest in necessary bank repayments, farm upgrades, or retain their employees.
“It is a widespread issue affecting many family-run dairy farms across the nation.”
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