Italy has issued a precautionary recall of several batches of pasteurised milk. It has prompted immediate action from major supermarkets.
The alert affects well-known Italian chains including Carrefour, Coop, Esselunga and Bennet. It follows the discovery of a small tear in a rubber seal during a routine inspection at a packaging facility. This prompted fears that tiny rubber fragments, smaller than a millimetre, could have ended up in the milk during bottling.
The recall was initiated by Centrale del Latte d’Italia, a leading dairy distributor based in Vicenza. The company is part of the NewPrinces group (formerly Newlat Food). President Angelo Mastrolia said the move was “purely preventive” and stressed that there had been no reports of health problems or confirmed contamination.
“It’s just a suspicion. During a routine weekly inspection, we found a tiny tear in a rubber seal. If there were any residue, it would be smaller than a millimetre and pose no health risk,” Mastrolia told Il Gusto.
Brands and products affected
The initial recall applied to three brands:
- Polenghi Lombardo
- Mukki
- Latteria Soresina
It was later expanded by the Italian Ministry of Health to include four additional labels produced in the same facility:
- Latte Verona
- Fior di Maso
- Giglio
- Cappuccino Lovers
All affected products are 1-litre bottles of whole, high-temperature pasteurised milk.
Batch codes and expiry dates
Consumers have been advised to check for the following batch codes and dates:
- 15/05/25B – Polenghi, Mukki and Soresina
- 16/05/25B – Polenghi and Soresina
- 17/05/25B – Polenghi only
Italian authorities are urging anyone who has purchased the milk not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale for a refund.
What was found?
Although early reports did not confirm the material involved, Mastrolia later clarified that the concern relates specifically to food-grade rubber; not glass or metal. The fragments, if present, would be so small they’d likely go unnoticed.
“There are no steel fragments or metal objects. It’s food-grade rubber. There’s no real danger, but we acted with full transparency and responsibility,” Mastrolia said.
Public health officials have commended Centrale del Latte d’Italia for its swift and transparent handling of the situation. They noted that the case highlights the importance of routine checks and robust quality control processes in the food production industry.
“This isn’t about everyday cleaning,– these are high-precision technical inspections, carried out within the timeframes set by food safety regulations,” Mastrolia explained.
