Investigation into the suspected contamination of Karicare milk imports.
The Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) has just requested the unit importing Karicare products into Vietnam to urgently compile statistics on the import of Karicare products.
Karicare formula milk product. (Source: abc.net)
The above request was issued by the Ministry of Health after receiving information that Karicare formula milk, containing whey protein concentrate and manufactured by Fonterra New Zealand, was contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum bacteria.
According to information from the Food Safety Administration, following reports of Clostridium Botulinum contamination in Fonterra's whey protein concentrate from New Zealand, on August 4, 2013, the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries officially announced that Karicare products manufactured by Nutricia (New Zealand) may be contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum.
According to the announcement, the products include: Karicare Formula No. 1 (for children aged 0-6 months) with batch numbers 3169 and 3170; expiration dates of June 17, 2016 and June 18, 2016.
Karicare Gold+ Follow on Formula No. 2 (for children aged 6-12 months) with batch number D3183; expiry date 31/12/2014.
These products were only sold in the New Zealand market and have been voluntarily recalled by Nutrica from the New Zealand market.
Nutricia, a New Zealand company, has officially announced that the Karicare products potentially contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum bacteria were only sold in the New Zealand market, and other Nutricia Karicare product lines are unaffected and not subject to recall. This incident also does not involve any Nutricia products sold in the Australian market.
Immediately after receiving this information, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) promptly reviewed all Karicare products from Nutricia Company that had been registered with the Department from the beginning of 2012 to the present.
The review results show that no Karicare products for children under 12 months old have been registered with the Food Safety Department. However, to ensure food safety for Vietnamese consumers, the Food Safety Department has sent a letter requesting the Australian Nutrition Co., Ltd. - the importer of Karicare products into Vietnam - to urgently compile a list of imported Karicare products and report it to the Food Safety Department before August 6, 2013.
The Food Safety Administration will continue to update relevant information./.
According to Vietnam+ - LT
