The Transportation Security Administration is apologizing to a Colorado woman after throwing out her bottled breast milk during a security screening at Denver International Airport last month.
"I just started crying," Britney Shawstad told KMGH-TV, "because I really didn't know what to do … that was my son's food."
Shawstad, 28, of Englewood, said a TSA officer asked her to put the breast milk container in a separate bin for screening, but when she did, it set off an alarm for explosives.
She then asked if she could put the milk in a different container for another test, but the officer said "no" and "told her the only option was to dump it," Shawstad told KMGH.
The TSA has since apologized for the incident and said in an email: "We’ve reached out to the passenger to apologize for any inconvenience caused during the screening process and scheduled a briefing for all DEN(ver) TSA officers on screening over-sized liquids, including breast milk.”
Shawstad wants other women to know what the rules are when it comes to breast milk and security screenings.
“If you’re traveling with breast milk, follow the rules,” she said.
“And the rules are that you are allowed to bring breast milk for your child. You are also allowed to bring juice.”
She suggested that if an agent says otherwise, ask for a manager.
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