Home Tags Posts tagged with "dairy exporter"
dairy exporter
New Zealand dairy firm Fonterra has apologized for the distress caused to parents because of a scare over contaminated products.
Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings was speaking in China after it emerged on Saturday that batches of whey protein contained bacteria that can cause botulism.
Contaminated products, including infant formula, were exported to a number of countries, including China.
Botulism is an extremely dangerous form of food poisoning.
“We regret the distress and anxiety which this issue could have caused,” Theo Spierings told reporters in Beijing.
“Parents have the right to know that infant nutrition and other products are safe.”
Theo Spierings added that Fonterra was committed to China and was working with regulators to address the problem.
China and Russia have moved to ban imports of the contaminated products.
Fonterra said it had received confirmation that China had not imposed a blanket ban on its products.
Fonterra has apologized for the distress caused to parents because of a scare over contaminated products
Earlier on Monday, New Zealand PM John Key questioned why Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, delayed raising the alarm over the contaminated products.
John Key said concerns were raised after a series of tests in May 2012.
“When you’ve got a company that’s our largest company, our largest brand, our largest exporter that is the flagship for New Zealand and your whole business is about food safety and food quality you think they’d take such a precautionary view to these things and say if it’s testing for some reason in an odd way that it would just be discarded until they were absolutely sure that its right,” John Key said.
However, Theo Spierings addressed this by saying that the first sign of a problem only came to light after tests in March this year.
Fonterra said the bacteria came from a dirty pipe at a processing plant for whey protein concentrate.
It said the bacteria had been found in three batches of whey protein which had been used in Nutricia Karicare for infants.
Fonterra has exported the contaminated whey protein concentrate to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.
So far, there have not been any illnesses reported related to the contaminated products.
China relies heavily on New Zealand for its imports of milk powder. The country experienced a tainted milk scandal in 2008 that killed six babies and made about 300,000 ill.
According to Chinese state media, nearly 80% of dairy products imported by China come from New Zealand.
New Zealand is the world’s largest dairy exporter.
[youtube eWEOjmjb4Qs]
China has banned all imports of milk powder from New Zealand, after its main dairy exporter, Fonterra, found in some of its products a strain of bacteria that can cause botulism.
China relies on New Zealand for almost all its imports of milk powder.
Imports are highly prized in China after a tainted milk formula scandal in 2008 killed six babies and made some 300,000 infants sick.
New Zealand’s trade minister described Beijing’s decision as “appropriate”.
Fonterra’s announcement that it had found the contamination led to a global recall of up to 1,000 tonnes of dairy products across seven countries, including China.
The potentially tainted products included infant milk formula, sports drinks, protein drinks and other beverages.
Botulism is one of the most dangerous forms of food poisoning, often leading to paralysis.
The bacteria were found in three batches of Fonterra’s whey protein used in infants’ Nutricia Karicare follow-on formula, Fonterra said.
China has banned all imports of milk powder from New Zealand
Nearly 80% of dairy products imported by China come from New Zealand, according to state media.
Any prolonged ban of imports could well lead to a dairy shortage in China
New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said China’s action was “entirely appropriate”.
“It’s better to do blanket protection for your people then wind it back when we, our authorities, are in a position to give them the confidence and advice that they need.”
The Chinese authorities named four domestic companies that have imported potentially contaminated products from New Zealand. According to state media, these companies have begun a recall.
The whey product was produced in May 2012, with a dirty pipe at one of Fonterra’s processing plants in Waikato responsible for the contamination, the company said.
Fonterra – the fourth largest diary company in the world – said it had urged its customers to urgently check their supply chains.
The countries affected besides New Zealand and China include Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
Russia is also reported to have begun a recall of Fonterra products.
Fonterra said there had been no reports of any illness linked to the affected whey product.
The dairy industry powers New Zealand’s economy, with the country exporting up to 95% of its milk.
[youtube iA-Tpd3WUNo]
Fonterra, New Zealand’s main dairy exporter, has found a strain of bacteria causing botulism in some of its products, including infant formula and sports drinks.
It has led to a global recall of up to 1,000 tons of dairy products across seven countries, including China.
Fonterra has not named the eight companies affected.
Botulism is one of the most dangerous forms of food poisoning, often leading to paralysis.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries confirmed on Saturday that the tainted products included infant formula, sports drinks, protein drinks and other beverages.
The bacterium was found in three batches of Fonterra’s whey protein used in infants’ Nutricia Karicare follow-on formula, Fonterra said.
The whey product was produced in May 2012, with a dirty pipe at one of its processing plants in Waikato responsible for the contamination, the company said.
Fonterra has found a strain of bacteria causing botulism in some of its products
Nutricia has locked down all five batches of formula believed to contain the tainted product and says none of its product was actually sold.
Fonterra – the fourth largest diary company in the world – says it has urged its customers to urgently check their supply chains.
“We are acting quickly,” Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings said.
“Our focus is to get information out about potentially affected product as fast as possible so that it can be taken off supermarket shelves and, where it has already been purchased, can be returned.”
The countries affected beside New Zealand include China, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
Fonterra said there had been no reports of any illness linked to the affected whey product.
The dairy industry powers New Zealand’s economy, with the country exporting up to 95% of its milk.
Fonterra is a major supplier of bulk milk powder products used in milk formula in China.
Chinese consumers have a special interest after a tainted milk formula scandal in 2008 killed six babies and made some 300,000 infants sick.
The Chinese authorities have already ordered domestic importers to recall all milk products that could be affected.
Fonterra’s chief executive, Theo Spierings, plans to fly to China on Saturday to deal with the fall-out.
Botulism is a rare paralytic illness caused by a toxin which is very poisonous to humans.
