Whey Protein Contamination: Information to parents and health advice

There have been no notifications of cases of infant botulism reported to the Ministry of Health in the past year.  The Ministry of Health is stepping up its surveillance through paediatric services across the country after the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) advised of a food safety issue relating to contamination of some batches of milk whey protein. This whey protein contains Clostridium botulinum bacteria that can cause illness.

Parents and caregivers will find regularly updated information on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website. 
There is also a 24/7 consumer helpline on 0800 693 721.

Clostridium botulinum is a type of bacteria that can produce several types of toxins in humans, and can cause a range of illnesses including Infant Botulism. The KidsHealth website has more information on infant Botulism

If people have any health concerns they should consult their GP or in the first instance call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or Plunketline on 0800 933 922. The nurses on those phone help lines know what to do.

Affected Infant formula:

Parents and caregivers should not use the infant formula products named on the MPI website. Latest MPI updates.

This is a precautionary measure given the company has been unable to provide the information necessary for MPI to establish these products are safe.

MPI Director-General issued a statement (pdf, 665 kb )(4 August) recommending that parents also do not use:

• Nutricia Karicare Stage 1 Infant Formula for babies from birth
• and Nutricia Karicare Stage 2 Follow-on formula products for children from 6 months old.

This is because MPI has not yet been able to trace all batches of product and fully determine which are and which are not affected. MPI now recommends parents and caregivers use alternative products until further notice.

There are alternative products that parents can use which are not affected.

Officials will closely monitor infant formula supply until this issues is resolved.

This page will be further updated and advice may change.

Feeding babies under one-year-old:

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Primary Industries support and encourage parents to breastfeed their infants until a year of age, and supplement their diet with appropriate solids from around 6 months of age. Infants under the age of one year who are not breastfed should be fed with an appropriate infant formula, and should not be fed with regular cow’s milk.

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