REVISED DIRECTOR-GENERAL STATEMENT
UNDER THE ANIMAL PRODUCTS ACT 1999 AND THE FOOD ACT 1981

4 August 2013 8.30pm - Statement 2

This statement replaces the Director-General statement issued at 2.45pm 3 August 2013

Further to my statement issued at 2.45pm yesterday afternoon (Saturday, 3 August 2013), at 6.00pm yesterday evening Fonterra notified the Ministry for Primary Industries of new information relating to batches of infant formula base powder manufactured from whey protein concentrate (WPC80) contaminated with the bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum, which can cause illness.

The infant formula base powder was supplied to Nutricia and is likely to have been manufactured into infant formulas.

On 4 August 2013 Nutricia issued a product recall notice, available at http://wwwnutriciababv.co.nz/main/aboutus/newshtml That notice advised that Nutricia has instigated a “precautionary recall in New Zealand" of the following products:

Karicare Infant Formula Stage 1 (0-6 months) in NEW ZEALAND ONLY with batch numbers 3169 and 3170 (use by 17.06.2016 and 18.06.2016). The batch number and use-by date can be found on the base ofthe tin.

Karicare Gold+ Follow On Formula Stage 2 (6-12 months) in NEW ZEALAND ONLY with batch number D3183 (use by 31 .12.2014). The batch number and use by date can be found on the base ofthe tin As of today, Nutricia has been unable to identify to the Ministry for Primary Industries Q the products that may have been contaminated through incorporation of this ingredient, and the locations of potentially contaminated products.

We are still in the process of verifying which products and which batches contain the whey protein, and their location.

As a result of this, l have decided to expand my precautionary advice.

As Acting Director-General, I, Scott Gallacher, for the purpose of section 37 of the Food Act 1981 and section 84 of the Animal Products Act 1999, advise that my statement of 3 August 2013 issued at 2.45pm is superseded by this statement.

I now advise that the following Nutricia Karicare products cannot be ruled out as containing the contaminated batches of whey_protein. I therefore recommend that these products are not consumed and alternative brands used.

Nutricia Karicare Stage 1 Infant Formula for babies from birth

Nutricia Karicare Stage 2 Follow-on formula products for children from 6 months old

In addition to the particular information made available by Nutricia at http://www.nutriciababv,co.nz/main/aboutus/news.html to which consumers should refer, I have not been able to establish which specific batches of these products may contain this whey protein, or whether affected batches are currently in any New Zealand retail stores.

I will provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available.

If you have any concerns about the consumption of these products, please call the following numbers.

lfyour concern is for health reasons, please call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or Plunketline 0800 933 922 for advice If your concern is about other aspects of these products, please call the Ministry for Primary Industries’ consumer helpline on 0800 693 721.

Nutricia Karicare products are sold through retail outlets such as supermarkets, mainly in 900g tins.

Scott Gallacher

Acting Director-General

Ministry for Primary Industries

[Original PDF: Director_General_Statement_2_Aug_4.pdf]

© Scoop Media

New Court Orders, Screening, Guardianship Changes...: Government Ignoring Poverty, Again

It remains to be seen if announcements today will better protect children, but the National Government is forgoing an opportunity to really help kids by ignoring the elephant in the room, which is poverty, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei says.

"All the experts have told the Government that very low income is associated with higher rates of child maltreatment and neglect -- something which was totally ignored in the Government's Children's Action Plan and the announcements today," Mrs Turei said. More>>