Slim milk imported from Australia found with excessive total bacterial count (with photos)

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (May 23) advised people not to consume a particular batch of Pura slim milk imported from Australia which was detected to have a total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit. The trade should also stop selling the affected product.

Details of the product concerned are as follows:

Product name: Pura slim milk
Place of origin: Australia
Expiry date: May 26, 2013
Packing size: 1 litre

"A sample of the milk was collected for testing under the regular Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the total bacterial count of the sample was more than 30,000,000 per millilitre," a CFS spokesman said.

"According to the Milk Regulation, milk after heat-treatment by means of pasteurization should not contain more than 30,000 bacteria per millilitre," he said.

The CFS has issued a warning letter to the importer, Nowaday International Development Limited. Importation of the product concerned has been suspended and the trade has been alerted to the incident.

The importer is the sole importer of the milk product concerned. It has stopped sale and has initiated a recall of the affected product. According to the information provided by the importer, the affected product was available for sale at several supermarket chains. For enquiries about the product recall, consumers can call a hotline set up by the importer at 2882 2347 during office hours.

"The total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit indicates unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, but does not mean it would lead to food poisoning. Despite that, we think that it will be prudent for consumers who have bought the affected product to stop drinking it. The trade should also stop selling the affected product," the spokesman said.

The CFS has informed the Australian authorities. We will monitor the recall of the affected product and the development of the incident. Appropriate actions will be taken whenever necessary.