Infant formula body welcomes inquiry report

The Infant Nutrition Council (INC) welcomes the final report of the independent inquiry into last year’s whey protein concentrate incident, says Infant Nutrition Council Chief Executive Jan Carey.

INC represents marketers and manufacturers of infant formula.

“We are particularly pleased that the Government will be accepting all of the inquiry’s recommendations. In fact, many were already well advanced ahead of this report.

“If this inquiry has done nothing else it has shown very clearly that New Zealand has food safety standards that are as good, if not better, as any country in the world.

“That will come as a great reassurance to parents the world over – that they can have faith in New Zealand’s infant formula industry.

“Of particular note is that the inquiry found that the Ministry for Primary Industries took the correct decisions in putting consumer interests and public health first, both in New Zealand and in export markets, by taking the precautionary approach they did at the time of the incident.

“That’s exactly what should happen at such times, and shows that New Zealand’s food safety systems and processes are up to the mark.

“It’s also good to hear that the Government is currently drafting legislation to pick up a lot of the recommendations.

“This report is a very robust piece of work conducted by a top team of food safety experts, and they are to be congratulated.

“The changes that have been made to processes and systems throughout the industry since the incident will mean parents all over the world can have faith in the integrity of the infant formula made in New Zealand.”

Mrs Carey said INC has worked closely with the Government and others in the sector to ensure that the message of assurance reaches all parents who rely on high-quality infant formula as part of their babies’ diets.

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