Lidl Austria Recalls Milbona High Protein Chocolate Pudding

What is Bacillus cereus?

Bacillus cereus is a widespread environmental bacterium that can occur especially in starchy and protein-rich foods. Contamination can lead to nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. As Lidl Austria explains in its communication, most cases are mild, but in certain groups of people serious illness courses can occur. Literally it states: „Bei bestimmten Personengruppe (Säuglingen, Kleinkindern, Schwangeren, Senioren und Menschen mit geschwächtem Abwehrsystem) können ernste Krankheitsverläufe auftreten."

Specifically, Lidl is recalling the chocolate pudding product with the best-before date indicated on the packaging. Customers who have purchased the product are asked not to consume it. The item can be returned at all Lidl branches in Austria; the purchase price will be fully refunded according to the communication, even without presenting a receipt. This is intended to ensure that potentially affected goods do not reach consumption at all.

Only one batch is affected

The manufacturer of the affected product is the company Fude + Serrahn Milchprodukte GmbH & Co. KG. The company is a supplier of dairy products for the food retail trade and produces, among other things, for the Lidl private label Milbona. Further deliveries from the manufacturer as well as other Milbona products are, according to Lidl, not part of the recall. In the company's communication to customers, it is explicitly pointed out that this is a narrowly limited product withdrawal.

For queries regarding the recall, Lidl Austria customer service is available. Consumers can also contact the company's responsible redress point to obtain information or process the return. Lidl asks that the recall be taken seriously and the product – even if the packaging has already been opened – should not be consumed, but instead brought back to a branch.

Customer service and return

Food recalls due to Bacillus cereus or similar pathogens are routine in the food industry, but not everyday occurrences. Authorities such as AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety) and the Federal Ministry for Social Security, Generations, Consumer Protection and Sport are usually involved in recalls of this magnitude and inform the public via warning notices. With the self-publication and the uncomplicated take-back, Lidl is fulfilling its duty to inform under the EU Food Information Regulation.

Consumer protection organisations generally recommend responding promptly to food recalls and neither consuming affected products nor passing them on to third parties. Even if the batch was only distributed in limited quantities, a single package can be enough to trigger symptoms. Anyone who has already consumed the product and notices health complaints should seek medical assistance.

Consequences for the brand

The Milbona private label is one of Lidl's most important store brands and encompasses a broad range from dairy products to frozen berries to snacks. The current recall affects only a single product with a defined best-before date. Thus the reputational damage for the Milbona brand and the supplier Fude + Serrahn Milchprodukte GmbH & Co. KG is limited, provided no further cases become known.