Contaminated Fonterra Milk Products: MPI Press Conference - Wednesday 7 August
By Hamish Cardwell
The Ministry of Primary Industries is confident it has identified the location of contaminated Fonterra dairy products.
On Friday it emerged that three batches of Fonterra-manufactured whey protein had tested positive for a food poisoning
bacterium which can cause botulism.
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At a press conference on Wednesday 7 August in Wellington MPI acting director general Scott Gallacher said on the basis
of the information they had received from Fonterra, Nutrica and others they knew where the contaminated products were,
and that they had passed this information on to relevant overseas agencies.
Mr Gallacher said he was confident that contaminated products in New Zealand was restricted to Nutricia Karicare Infant
Formula Stage 1 for babies from birth, and Nutricia Karicare Stage 2 Follow-on formula for children from six months old.
Mr Gallacher was asked why Asure Quality, a government owned food safety company, was notified of the possible
contamination a day earlier than MPI.
He said that Assure Quality had a 24-hour turnaround and they had then given the information to MPI.
Director General of the Minstry of Health Kevin Woods was also at the press conference.
For More information:
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ENDS