HONOLULU (AP) - Meadow Gold Dairies may again sell its 2 percent reduced-fat milk from its Honolulu plant as the state has lifted a suspension on the product after it was found to have exceeded limits for bacteria.
The state Department of Health sent a cease-and-desist order to Meadow Gold, a brand of Dallas-based Dean Foods Co., on Feb. 27 after samples of the milk processed at a Honolulu plant contained high levels of coliform bacteria.
The DOH tests of the 2 percent milk on Jan. 19, Feb. 6 and 22 showed coliform counts of nearly 15 times the maximum allowed.
The maximum allowed coliform limit for pasteurized milk is 10 coliforms per milliliter.
The Department of Health said Tuesday that tests conducted on March 1, 2, and 6 found the milk in compliance with coliform counts.
“Meadow Gold is working very diligently with us, and they are working very diligently to make sure their internal quality control is improved to the point of this not happening again,” said Peter Oshiro, program manager of the DOH Sanitation Branch.
Meadow Gold spokeswoman Reace Smith said the company fixed an equipment problem that led to earlier results.
Smith said the milk was never recalled or pulled from the market.
“We were able to continue supplying our neighbors with additional milk from our plants on the Big Island and the mainland,” she said in an email.
All other milk products from Meadow Gold Dairies have met state and federal standards required for distribution and sale.
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