No botulism threat from dairy giant’s whey product

Dairy giant Fonterra’s products at the centre of a global contamination scare this month did not contain a bacteria that could cause botulism, and posed no food safety threat, New Zealand officials said yesterday.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said tests showed that whey protein concentrate manufactured by the world’s largest dairy processor contained clostridium sporogenes, which cannot cause botulism, but which at elevated levels can be associated with food spoilage.

Original tests conducted by Fonterra and a New Zealand government research institute had indicated the presence of clostridium botulinum, raising fears that infant formula and sports drinks made from the product, which are widely exported, could be potentially dangerous.