Costco recently issued a recall for nearly 80,000 pounds of Kirkland Signature butter because the packaging failed to specify an obvious fact: Butter contains milk.
Although both the salted and unsalted versions list cream as an ingredient, the FDA flagged the omission of an explicit “Contains Milk” allergen warning, leading to a recall of 79,200 pounds in October.
The New York Post reported the recall has sparked an online reaction, with users amused by the apparent overkill. Comments like, “It’s butter” and “Next they’ll recall beef that might contain cow” highlighted the public’s bewilderment at the need to warn consumers that butter is a dairy product. One user even joked, “Please dispose of it at my house—I have a lot of holiday baking to do!”
Despite the humor, there’s a serious reason behind the recall: milk is a major allergen, and even foods with low lactose content, like butter, can trigger severe reactions in those allergic to milk. As the CDC notes, milk ranks among the primary foods causing serious allergies in the U.S.
Many social media users were irked by the decision, questioning why Costco didn’t simply add “Contains Milk” stickers to avoid discarding so much butter. The FDA, however, has not reported any incidents or reactions from the product yet.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.