Abbott infant formula recalled over botulism concerns

Abbott infant formula recalled over botulism concerns

China's consumer quality watchdog said Tuesday that it has asked a Chinese arm of U.S. infant formula producer Abbott Laboratories to recall two batches of potentially tainted milk powder over botulism concerns.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) was alerted by the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing on Monday night that two batches of Abbott-brand products manufactured by the New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra may have been tainted by the botulinum bacteria.

Abbott said in a statement that these two batches of products were not made from contaminated raw materials from Fonterra, but they were packaged in Fonterra's production lines. The lines were not fully sanitized after producing tainted products.

Abbott has started preemptive recalls of two batches of Stage 3 infant formula manufactured on May 2, 2013.

The recalled products include 7,181 boxes, including 112 boxes that have already been sold. The remaining 7,069 boxes in inventory have been sealed, according to Abbott.

Consumers who purchased relevant products are asked to contact the company.

Fonterra said Friday that some of its whey protein concentrate was found to be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The concentrate was used in products including infant milk powder and sports drinks.

質檢總局要求雅培召回可能被肉毒桿菌污染的產品

國家質檢總局5日晚接到新西蘭駐華使館通報,稱新西蘭恒天然集團為雅培（上海）貿易有限公司生產的兩批次嬰幼兒配方奶粉存在被肉毒桿菌污染的風險.質檢總局已要求雅培公司履行主體責任,召回相關產品,切實保護中國消費者健康.

雅培當晚發布聲明,稱決定主動召回2個批次產品并銷毀,原因為在恒天然公司包裝線上實施包裝,但該包裝生產線在使用有問題原料后未經徹底清洗即開始包裝雅培產品.

被召回的產品是雅培幼兒喜康力（3段）900克／罐,涉及批次為287834K402、287844K402,生產時間均為今年5月2日.雅培表示,這兩批次產品共有7181箱,除約112箱已售出外,其余7069箱已被隔離封存.