Cow's milk was added to Almond Breeze, FDA says, sparking a recall in 28 states

In the decadeslong war over milk — with purveyors of cow juice vs. the people who make an array of plant- and nut-based drinks — this is as close to consorting with the enemy as it gets.

The manufacturer of popular Almond Breeze announced a recall for what some would say is a sacrilegious act: Somehow, cow's milk got into their almond milk.

The recall affects nearly 150,000 half-gallon cartons of Almond Breeze almond milk shipped to wholesalers in 28 states, including Florida, according to the Food and Drug Administration. That is less than 1 percent of all the refrigerated almond milk shipped by HP Hood LLC in the past month.

HP Hood is a national dairy company in Massachusetts that also handles the production of Almond Breeze.

This revelation could be more than enough to sour fans' perception of the brand carefully cultivated by Blue Diamond Growers, a California almond cooperative. Its website proudly proclaims: "Almonds are all we do."

But a statement from Hood about the mix-up conjures a different image. The almond milk was produced in a factory — one that is essentially playing both sides in the milk wars.

A spokesperson said "the almond milk is processed on a separate line and filler," but this batch was contaminated by milk "through an employee error," so Hood recalled it as a precaution. The product is safe for anyone without a lactose allergy.

For many, it was another salvo in the greater debate over what is and isn't "milk."