'Cleaning Fluid Is Not Supposed To Be Ingested': Two Dairies That Produced Tainted Milk Are Affiliated With Each Other
BOSTON (CBS) -- An inspector with the Massachusetts Public Health Department's food protection program was set to visit Garelick Farms in Franklin Friday, looking into reports that milk tainted with cleaning fluid went to three different Boston Public Schools.
Now WBZ-TV has learned another similar incident in New Jersey last week involved a different dairy, Guida's, which is part the same cooperative as Garelick. It's called the Dairy Farmers of America. That case had parents upset. "This shouldn't have happened to anybody's children," one mom told reporters. "Ours or anyone's."
Boston University food safety expert Joan Salge Blake said the incidents are unusual and surprising. "If this is a recurring thing, then we've got to stop, step in here, and look at the chain of what is going on here and making sure that this machinery is functioning properly," she said.
According to Garelick, the substance found in the cartons in Boston was a non-toxic food-grade sanitizer diluted with water that was introduced during production.
"The good news is they're cleaning the machine," said Blake. "That's really good, but the cleaning fluid is not supposed to be ingested."
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office said no students were in danger, and that inspection reports show the schools did nothing wrong. They contacted Garelick, which picked up the supply to run tests on it. Both the dairy and the state are now investigating.
"Americans have one of the safest food supply in the world so why? Because there are checks and balances," said Blake. "When something like this arises, we all learn from it and make sure it doesn't happen again."
