Global recall of dairy products over botulism fears

     
New Zealand authorities have triggered a global recall of up to 1-thousand tons (around 900-thousand kilos) of dairy products across seven countries after dairy giant Fonterra announced tests had turned up a type of bacteria that could cause botulism.              

New Zealand's Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) said Saturday that the tainted products include infant formula, sports drinks, protein drinks and other beverages.            

It said countries affected beside New Zealand include China, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.           

"Over the last 24 hours, things have been very fluid. Information has been changing on a rapid basis as we try to get to grips with exactly the situation and scenario that we're dealing with," said Scott Gallacher, acting director general of MPI.            

Fonterra, the world's fourth-largest dairy company, said its customers were urgently checking their supply chains.              

The news comes as a blow to New Zealand's dairy industry, which powers the country's economy. New Zealand exports about 95 percent of its milk.
          
"Fonterra has a big job to get out there to clarify exactly where this product might have gone and then to reassure people that their brand is one of high quality safe food," said New Zealand MP Damien O'Connor, Labour Party's primary industries spokesman.             

The Centers for Disease Control describes botulism as a rare but sometimes fatal paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin.              

Fonterra said it has told eight of its customers of the problem, which dates back more than a year, and they were investigating whether any of the affected product is in their supply chains.           

Fonterra said those companies will initiate any consumer product recalls.            

At a news conference Saturday, Fonterra repeatedly refused to divulge the companies, countries or specific products affected.          

"We are very, very concerned about human health and we are doing everything possible to minimize exposure. I want to talk about people rather than brands," Gary Romano, the managing director of Fonterra's New Zealand milk products, told reporters.            

Romano said his company supplies raw materials to the eight companies and it is up to them to inform their consumers of what products might be tainted.            

The company did acknowledge its chief executive, Theo Spierings, planned to fly to China Saturday, in part to deal with the fallout from the botulism scare.            

New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries said Saturday that New Zealand company Nutricia had used some of the tainted product in its Karicare line of formula for infants aged over 6 months.           

Nutricia had locked down all five batches of infant formula it believed contained the tainted product, the ministry said.             

But it advised that parents should buy different Nutricia products or alternative brands until it verified the location of all tainted Nutricia products.              

AP