Food warning issued in N.D.

In conjunction with an alert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the North Dakota Department of Health is warning residents not to consume several types of Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products and White Rabbit Creamy Candies that have been recalled be-cause of concerns about possible contamination with melamine, according to Kenan Bullinger, director of the department’s Division of Food and Lodging.

The chemical mela-mine recently was discovered in milk products from China, including infant formula, which caused thousands of infants in China to become seriously ill with kidney problems and several died. No infant formula manufactured in China can be sold legally in the United States.

The Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products, as well as the White Rabbit Creamy Candies, have been sold in ethnic markets in North Dakota. The Department of Health is working with the FDA and the state’s local public health units to ensure that the recalled products are removed from the shelves of markets in North Dakota.

The Department of Health is warning North Dakotans not to consume any of the following recalled products:

* Mr. Brown Mandheling Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)

* Mr. Brown Arabica Instant Coffee (3-in-1)

* Mr. Brown Blue Mountain Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)

* Mr. Brown Caramel Macchiato Instant Coffee (3-in-1)

* Mr. Brown French Vanilla Instant Coffee (3-in-1)

* Mr. Brown Mandhling Blend instant Coffee (2-in-1)

* Mr. Brown Milk Tea (3-in-1)

* White Rabbit Creamy Candies

The FDA and several states are continuing to test milk-based products imported into the United States from China, including products collected from ethnic food markets in North Dakota.

The FDA has reported it is not aware of any illnesses in the United States resulting from the consumption of either White Rabbit Creamy Candies or Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products. People who may have experienced health problems after consuming any of the recalled products are advised to contact their physicians.

For more information, contact Bullinger at the North Dakota Department of Health, at 701-328-1292 or kbulling@nd.gov.

Tags: foodsafety, food, recall, coffee, fda, northdakota, healthdepartment