Complaints Of Illness From Chobani Yogurt Double
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Is it best to stay away from Chobani products right now? (nycblondieandbrownie/Flickr)
The company that produces Chobani Greek Yogurt recalled their products almost two months ago due to a species of mold, Mucor circinelloides, which is usually reported to be associated with fruits, dairy and vegetables.
However, consumers are now urging Chobani to expand its recall, citing problems with yogurt that had expiration dates after the recalled ones.
Chobani originally recalled 91 varieties of yogurt with the code 16-012. Since Sept. 10, almost 300 customers worldwide have filed illness complaints with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Chobani claims that their yogurt poses no major risk. This is counter to some customers' complaints that they became violently ill, even missing work, after consuming the tainted yogurt.
The recall of Chobani Greek Yogurt brings new attention to the issue of mold that develops in our food. Not all molds are dangerous--some foods contain mold that is safe to eat and taste delicious, such as Brie cheese. Other molds, however, may trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Some molds contain poisonous substances as it produces mycotoxins.
Molds appear in fuzzy green or white spots that grow on food with invisible bacteria growing along with it. According to the FDA’s Ward, the mold in Chobani yogurt should not pose a serious health risk to most consumers.
(Brian Negus/Flickr)
READ MORE: Consumers call for expansion of Chobani yogurt recall
People who have consumed the mold will experience nausea and diarrhea, but these symptoms will pass within time. If the symptoms last more than a day, it is recommended to see a doctor.
You should immediately discard the entire product if you can ever visibly see mold on top of yogurt or if it develops off-odor, flavor or appearance.
There are many ways to avoid buying yogurt with mold. You should avoid selecting containers that are swollen and have torn or wrinkled foil seals. Containers that are dirty and have yogurt outside the seal should also be avoided.
It is strongly recommended that moldy food be thrown out in a small paper bag or wrapped in a plastic bag and then disposed of in a covered trash container. It should be out of reach from children and pets, and the area where the moldy food was stored should be cleaned up. Other items that the moldy food might have touched should be checked.
Yogurt is not the only food that mold loves to settle in. Bread is another common victim. If you ever see mold on a slice of bread, you should throw out the entire loaf, as well as the bag containing the bread, because the appearance of mold on bread means that the entire loaf is contaminated with mold. Mold on bread is not salvageable, as it spreads rather quickly throughout soft foods.
Reach Staff Reporter Yeo Jin Lee here; follow her on Twitter here.
