Yes, there is a recall for one type of Oatly brand oat milk

In recent months, common foods like Jif peanut butter and strawberries have been recalled. Now, some people are wondering if oat milk is the latest product they need to toss.

Food and beverage company Lyons-Magnus, whose products include Oatly oat milk and Premier protein shakes, announced a recall of some of its products on July 29 due to a "potential microbial contamination." After the announcement, Google searches about oat milk recalls and symptoms of possible contamination spiked. 

VERIFY viewer Melanie emailed asking whether there’s been an oat milk recall, and if so, which brand or brands have been recalled. 

Here’s what to know and how to check if you have any impacted products.

THE QUESTION

Is there an oat milk recall?

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Yes, there is a recall for one type of Oatly brand oat milk. Oatly’s contract-manufacturing partner, Lyons-Magnus, has recalled over 50 products, including protein shakes, coffee drinks and creamers.

WHAT WE FOUND

Lyons-Magnus, a contract-manufacturing partner of Oatly, recalled 53 products on July 29 “due to the potential for microbial contamination.” That includes the Barista Edition of Oatly brand oat milk, which is sold both to professional baristas and everyday consumers at the grocery store.

While none of Oatly’s other oat milk products were recalled, some other products from Lyons-Magnus were recalled. The recalled products' best-by dates range from November 2022 to September 2023. For specific expiration dates and lot numbers, check here.

As of Aug. 2, no illnesses or complaints about the products have been reported, according to the FDA. But recalled products should still be thrown out.

In a statement to VERIFY, Oatly said the company requested retailers dispose of potentially affected products “out of an abundance of caution,” saying the batch was produced at the Lyons-Magnus Beloit, WI facility in April 2022.

“Lyons-Magnus, one of our contract manufacturing partners, has initiated a voluntary recall of certain products in cooperation with the FDA that involves several brands, including ours,” it read. “It is important to note that for our brand, this voluntary recall is very specific: it is limited to a single SKU, manufactured in April 2022, and primarily distributed to food service partners.”

Here are the symptoms to look out for

According to the press release, which has since been reposted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Oatly’s oat milk barista edition was among the 53 products potentially contaminated with an organism called Cronobacter sakazakii.

Cronobacter sakazakii is a bacteria that can be deadly for infants, older people and immunocompromised people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In infants, it can cause sepsis, a severe bloodstream infection, and meningitis as well as even an infection of protective membranes around the brain in infants. 

While infection from Cronobacter sakazakii is believed to be rare, doctors and labs are not required to report cases to the state, making case outbreaks difficult to track nationally.

Lyons-Magnus noted in its press release that none of its recalled products are intended for infants, and no illnesses or complaints related to the recalled products have been reported. Lyons-Magnus said the products did not meet commercial sterility specifications, which prompted their recall.

Here are the items affected by the recall: 

To read the full list of products, lot numbers and expiration dates, as well as photos of brands included in the recall from the FDA, click here.

Consumers can identify the recalled products by locating the lot code and best by date at the top of the carton for individual beverages or the side of the case for multi-carton cases. If you do have a recalled product in your possession, you should dispose of it immediately or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. 

If you have questions about the recall, call Lyons' 24-hour Recall Support Center line at 1-800-627-0557.