*Updated on 18 Jan 2018 Suspected contamination of French infant and young children formulae with salmonella
| Issue Date | 12.12.2017 |
|---|---|
| Source of Information | Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission |
| Food Product | Infant and young children formula products |
| Product Name and Description | (1) Product name: Inovital Infant milk from 0 to 6 months (No. 1) *Updated on 14 Dec 2017 (2) Product name: Inovital Follow-on milk from 6 to 12 months (No. 2) (3) Product name: Inovital Growing-up milk from 1 to 3 years (No.3) *Updated on 18 Jan 2018 (5) Product name: Inovital Follow-on milk from 6 to 12 months (No. 2) (6) Product name: Inovital Growing-up milk from 1 to 3 years (No.3) |
| Reason For Issuing Alert | - The French authorities about the recall of 12 batches of infant formulae by Lactalis in early December. The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) immediately contacted the sole agent of Lactalis in Hong Kong, major local importers and retailers to follow up. Preliminary investigations showed that the products concerned had not been imported or sold in Hong Kong. The CFS issued a food incident post to inform local trade of the incident on December 4. - Following the French authorities' announcement on December 10 that the recall of products by Lactalis has been extended to cover all products produced by one processing plant (Lactalis Craon Factory) since February 15, 2017, the CFS has been proactively following up on the incident. CFS' investigation showed that the importer concerned had imported about 28 000 cartons of the affected products and some of them had been distributed for sale. *Updated on 14 Dec 2017 *Updated on 18 Jan 2018 |
| Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety | - The CFS has instructed the importer concerned to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batches of the products, and recall the products concerned. - The remaining stock in the importer's warehouse has been immediately marked and sealed by the CFS. In addition, 15 000 cartons are being shipped to Hong Kong which will also be marked and sealed by the CFS on their arrival. - The CFS has enhanced surveillance of dairy products available in local market since the incident. - The CFS will continue to closely monitor the latest development of the incident and take appropriate follow-up action. *Updated on 18 Jan 2018 |
| Advice to the Trade | - Stop selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them. |
| Advice to Consumers | *Updated on 18 Jan 2018 - To seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the above products. - Powdered infant formula is not a sterile product which may be contaminated with pathogens such as salmonella and Enterobacter sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization advise that powdered infant formula should be prepared with boiled water that is no cooler than 70 degree Celsius which can significantly inactivate pathogens including Salmonella. Reconstituted powdered infant formula should then be cooled to feeding temperature and consumed immediately. - Reconstituted powdered infant formula that has not been consumed within two hours should be discarded. - For high-risk infants, including pre-term infants, infants less than two months of age, low-birth-weight infants (< 2.5 kilograms) and immunocompromised infants etc, who are not breastfed, caregivers should use commercially sterile liquid formula whenever possible. |
| Further Information | The CFS press release (12 Dec 2017) *Updated on 14 Dec 2017 (7) Product name: Inovital Growing-up milk from 1 to 3 years (No.3) *Updated on 18 Jan 2018 - Members of the public may call the hotline of the importer at 2272 1128 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. |
Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2017-12-12