‘LACTALIS MILK NOT SOLD HERE’
WHO, French embassy confirm French firm’s infant formula not exported to Malaysia, says ministry
THE Health Ministry has given the assurance that French company Lactalis’ infant formula milk, which is suspected to have been contaminated with salmonella bacteria, is not sold in Malaysia.
The ministry’s food safety and quality senior director, Noraini Mohd Othman, said the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Food Safety Authorities Network (Infosan) and the French embassy had confirmed that the product was not exported to Malaysia.
“The ministry is aware of the news report titled ‘France’s Lactalis orders baby milk recall over salmonella fears’, which was published by international media, France 24, on Dec 10.
“The report stated that LNS Lactalis Group and health authorities have ordered an international product recall because of fears of salmonella contamination.
“Consumers (in Malaysia) should not be worried as the ministry has received confirmation from Infosan and the French embassy that the product is not exported to the country,” she said yesterday.
She said salmonella was a pathogenic micro-organism that could cause a person to experience diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain.
In some cases, Noraini said, salmonella infection could be fatal to babies, the elderly and those with a weak immune system.
She said according to the ministry’s Food Safety Information System of Malaysia, the product was not imported to the country.
“As a precautionary measure, the ministry has banned the import of such products to Malaysia effective Dec 11.
“The ministry is alert and concerned about matters that affect the health of consumers.”
For details, the publid can contact the nearest district health office or state Health Department, or visit http://moh.spab.gov.my and its Facebook page, “Bahagian Keselamatan dan Kualiti Makanan”.
It was reported that Lactalis and health authorities had ordered the recall of millions of baby milk products around the world due to fears of salmonella bacteria contamination.
This followed 26 cases of children falling sick in France since Dec 1.
Company spokesman Michel Nalet told AFP that nearly 7,000 tonnes of the product could have been contaminated, but the company was unable to state how much of the product still remained in the market, had been consumed or was in stock.