Class II U.S. Food and Drug Administration

University of California Health Milk Bank 001165: Standard Pasteurized Donor Human recall: Product is potentially contaminated with foreign material (plastic particles)

Recall published 5 months ago

Product is potentially contaminated with foreign material (plastic particles).

The hazard: Foreign material — hard plastic

This is a foreign-material recall — hard plastic where there should be none. An affected pack looks identical to a sound one from the outside.

What the notice says: Product is potentially contaminated with foreign material (plastic particles).

Why it matters: Pieces of hard plastic may be inside the product. The risk here is physical rather than microbial: cuts to the mouth or throat, a broken tooth, or an injury further down if a fragment is swallowed.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

If someone has swallowed a fragment and has mouth or throat pain, trouble swallowing, chest or stomach pain, vomiting, or blood in saliva or stool, they should be seen the same day. A fragment swallowed without symptoms usually passes on its own, but tell the clinician exactly what the product was: most plastics are invisible on a plain X-ray, so the history you give is what the decision rests on.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Recall number
H-0948-2026
Published
June 10, 2026
Risk level
Class II
Status
Terminated
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
University of California Health Milk Bank
Product type
Dairy
Units affected
60 liters (441 bottles) total
Distribution
California
Made in
United States
Lot / code info
Expiration dates: 001165: 8/4/2026 001198: 10/31/2026 Lot Codes: 001165-1, 001165-2, 001165-3, 001165-4, 001165-5, 001165-6, 001165-7, 001165-8 001198-, 001198-2, 00198-3, 001198-4, 001198-5

Products covered by this recall

001165: Standard Pasteurized Donor Human Milk; 100 mL bottles 001198: Pediatric Pasteurized Donor Human Milk; 200 mL bottles No UPC

Check your product

The notice names 10 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 001165-1
  • 001165-2
  • 001165-3
  • 001165-4
  • 001165-5
  • 001165-6
  • 001165-7

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 100 mL
  • 200 mL
  • 60 liters

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Food & cosmetics enforcement notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Plastic pieces

University of California Health Milk Bank — This is a foreign-material recall — hard plastic where there should be none. An affected pack looks identical to a sound one from the outside.

  1. Stop eating it, and do not pick through it to find the fragment — sorting it by hand is how people get cut.
  2. Keep the pack if you can. If anyone was hurt, the fragment and the packaging together are the evidence that matters.
  3. Return it to the store or bin it sealed, and claim the refund using the lot code from the label.
  4. Check the freezer and the pantry for other packs carrying the same codes before you consider the matter closed.

Getting a refund without the pack

The commonest reason people skip the refund is that they have already thrown the item away. That rarely matters.

  • A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.
  • Store credit is often offered first. You can ask for the original payment method instead, and it is normally granted.
  • No photo either? Ask anyway. Grocery chains settle recall refunds at the service desk because disputing them costs more than paying them.
  • For a multi-pack or a case, ask for the full purchase price rather than a per-unit figure — the recall covers what you paid.

Company contact: University of California Health Milk Bank — 3636 Gateway Center Ave Ste 102, San Diego, CA, 92102-4524

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Food & cosmetics enforcement record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was University of California Health Milk Bank dairy recalled?

Product is potentially contaminated with foreign material (plastic particles). Product is potentially contaminated with foreign material (plastic particles).

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: lot code 001165-1, 001165-2, 001165-3. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Stop eating it, and do not pick through it to find the fragment — sorting it by hand is how people get cut.

Can I get my money back?

A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists California.

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