FDA Grade “A” Milk Testing Is Coming Back—Here’s What You Need To Know

On April 21, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended a dairy testing protocol that sent consumers into a panic. However, according to experts, there was never anything to worry about, especially now that it’s coming back!

What Program Was Cut?

Two weeks ago, Reuters reported that the FDA terminated proficiency testing for Grade “A” raw milk and finished dairy products in the United States. This resulted from budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), contributing to 3,500 layoffs at the FDA and a halt in operations at the FDA’s Moffitt Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory. 

Since then, there has been mounting concern over the quality of U.S. dairy products, but it’s important to understand what a proficiency testing pause really means.

Proficiency testing was established in 2004. In the United States, approximately 170 FDA-affiliated laboratories undergo this safety check, which begins by testing spiked milk samples from the FDA.

“Under the proficiency program, labs are asked to test milk samples spiked by FDA with microbiological, animal drug, and chemical contaminants. The labs are evaluated on whether their results concur with those of FDA reference labs for each sample … The results need to match closely the results of FDA,” the International Dairy Foods Association explained in an article.

Proficiency testing was designed to certify that each laboratory is producing accurate results. This is different from halting Grade “A” milk testing altogether.

Where Was The Confusion?

“When I looked into it, I realized it was a lot less dire than what the media was pushing,” said Dennis D’Amico. D’Amico has a PhD in Animal, Nutrition, and Food Sciences and specializes in improving the quality of dairy products. “There was no effect on the actual testing of milk. And that’s where the confusion came in, as people thought that your milk wasn’t going to be tested for safety and quality anymore,” he continued.

On the contrary, milk still receives several levels of quality-control checks.

“All Grade ‘A’ milk continues to be subject to stringent testing and oversight throughout the supply chain—on the farm, before transportation, and multiple times at processing facilities—by both state and federal regulators, as outlined in the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance,” the International Dairy Foods Association explained.

The Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) was established 100 years ago, and PMO regulations are implemented every day in dairy farms across the nation. 

“We have lots of checks along the line and regulations, and all this is still being followed. In the labs that are testing for quality and safety, [they] are still going to be testing, with the same people, the same qualifications and whatnot. So I wouldn’t be concerned much at all,” D’Amico said.

While D’Amico was never worried, he is happy to learn that proficiency testing is returning.

Proficiency Testing Is Coming Back

On April 24, the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), an advocacy group that represents 650 dairy cooperatives and companies, sent a petition letter to the FDA, asserting that the suspension of proficiency testing “poses a threat to our collective ability to prevent foodborne illness and to consumer confidence.”

On April 29, they shared this announcement in their online newsletter:

“Following a letter from WCMA last week urging action to resume Grade ‘A’ milk proficiency testing, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials have reinstated employees who oversaw the testing program. FDA Senior Science Advisor for Milk Safety Beth Briczinski also noted the agency is working to ensure proficiency testing will remain available, even as it executes a longer-term plan to transfer the program from FDA’s Moffitt Center to a different laboratory.”

Rebekah Sweeney, the WCMA’s state and federal lobbyist and signee of the petition letter, confirmed from the FDA that all of the staff at the Moffitt Center have been reinstated. She received an email from Briczinski stating that the FDA is working to secure access to proficiency testing while they act to house the program in a different facility.

“We have full confidence in the safety of America’s dairy supply because nothing changed in terms of commercial milk testing, but our industry feels strongly in the robust nature of food safety oversight, and any erosion of food safety programs is cause for concern by our industry,” Sweeney said.

If You Are Still Concerned 

Though milk testing hasn’t vanished, the lack of proficiency testing does eliminate one factor—certainty.

“One potential effect of not having that proficiency is that it’s a little harder to trust the accuracy of the results coming out of those affiliated labs,” D’Amico shared.

While these experts never believed the lack of proficiency testing posed a serious safety risk, D’Amico offers advice for anyone who may want to take extra precautions in the meantime.

“They could re-heat treat their milk at home to 145°F for 30 minutes or 162°F for 15 to 30 seconds (or just bring it to a boil and then cool it down). This will help kill off any microbial contaminants,” D’Amico shared.

However, now that Grade “A” milk proficiency testing is coming back, you should be extra confident that the milk on your grocery shelves will be safe to drink.

The FDA has not released a formal statement announcing the return of the proficiency testing program. I reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment, but as of the publishing of this story, they have not responded.