Botulism scare over Fonterra milk products a false alarm
New tests of Fonterra milk products show no sign of botulism contamination
A botulism scare that sparked global recalls of Fonterra milk products was a false alarm and there was never any danger to consumers, New Zealand officials said after new tests.
The crisis led to infant formula being taken off shelves from China to Saudi Arabia earlier this month and damaged New Zealand's "clean, green" reputation in key Asian markets.
However, New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries said a barrage of tests ordered after it sounded the alarm confirmed a contaminant was not the potentially fatal clostridium botulinum - a bacterium that produces several toxins - but a milder bug called clostridium sporogenes - a harmless soil-dwelling bacteria.
"It is therefore not capable of producing botulism-causing toxins," the ministry said. "There are no known food-safety issues associated with clostridium sporogenes, although at elevated levels certain strains may be associated with food spoilage."