Eight Connecticut schoolchildren became ill yesterday with a burning sensation in their throats, nausea and stomachaches after drinking the chocolate milk, Julian learned as he searched the Internet at midnight seeking details about the recall. The company determined the half-pint milk containers “may contain a presence of food grade sanitizer” and issued the recall.

Julian offered this explanation: Such a sanitizer would be run through the lines at the dairy, and if those distribution lines aren’t then thoroughly flushed before the milk runs through them, a presence of sanitizer could remain in the system.

Given the concerns, the Health Department e-mailed a few thousand notifications overnight to all schools, child-care centers, food-service and retail establishments, Julian said. Then, they collaborated with the state department of education, which sent out its own notice to all schools today, Julian said. On top of that, the health department called all three major food providers that do business with the schools: Sodexho, Chartwells and Aramark.