Silk Milk Recall: Pasteurization in Beverage Production
In Ontario, nine hospitalizations due to listeria from Silk, a popular almond milk brand, have highlighted the critical need for stringent safety measures in beverage production.
When the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issues a recall, they use lot codes to trace the supply chain of the contaminated products. These codes, printed on the bottom of cans, allow consumers to quickly check if their product is affected. The recent Silk almond milk recall demonstrates how vital these codes are in preventing widespread health issues.
All Good Robot beverages and beverages made at The Beverage Factory contain lot codes and packaging dates printed at the bottom of our cans.
(For what it’s worth, I’m a customer of Silk. As a fellow beverage manufacturer, I know they have stringent food safety standards and that this incident is an unfortunate anomaly. That said, I still felt it worthwhile to use this unfortunate incident to underline the importance of pasteurization and food safety standards in beverage manufacturing. For the latest updates and lot codes for contaminated Silk products, you can visit the official recall page here.)
Why Pasteurize Beer, Milk, and Cider?
Pasteurization involves heating beverages to a specific temperature to kill harmful pathogens like listeria monocytogenes. This process is essential not only for milk but also for other beverages, especially low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beer, cider, wine, fruit juice and other products.
How to Pasteurize Milk: Pasteurization of milk involves heating it to about 161°F (72°C) for 15 seconds. This kills bacteria, ensuring that milk is safe for consumption.
How to Pasteurize Cider: Similarly, pasteurizing cider at 160°F (71°C) for at least 10 seconds eliminates pathogens, making it safe to drink without altering its taste significantly.
How to Pasteurize Beer: Beer pasteurization, often done at 140°F (60°C) for 20 minutes, prevents spoilage and extends shelf life while maintaining its flavour profile.
How to Pasteurize Wine: Wine is heated to 185 °F (85 °C) for a minute, then cooled to 122 °F (50 °C).
The Importance of Sanitation After Pasteurization
While pasteurization is effective, contamination can still occur post-process. In the case of the Silk almond milk recall, listeria contamination likely happened after pasteurization. Contaminants can enter through processing equipment, ventilation systems, or even during cleaning with high-powered hoses. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain sanitized storage areas and equipment.
For more detailed information on food safety protocols and the latest updates on the Silk almond milk recall, visit the CFIA food recall warning page.
