New Zealanders have been shocked over the weekend to learn that a pipe at Fonterra’s Hautapu plant may have contaminated thousands of its products with bacteria that cause botulism, and also that infant powder formulas affected are just for babies and not intended to be part of an adult diet.
Mother of new-born twins Jennifer Patterson said the reports over the weekend made her “truly fearful.”
“You know, you feel safe, don’t you?” she said. “You feel like nothing could hurt your little babes and that you could eat the formula powder with cereal and no one would judge you.
“But then you see what’s happening in the news and you think ‘Wow, is that really made just for babies?’”
Patterson was one of just many parents who reported they were surprised to learn that infant formulas such as Karicare were only for babies, as they “tasted so good.”
One parent, 38-year-old David Price, said he just assumed the product was called baby formula because it was made of ground-up babies.
In a statement released today, Fonterra acknowledged the widespread confusion about its baby products, pointing to sales data that showed the vast majority of those who purchase infant formulas are adults.
“Fonterra acknowledges that our infant formula products have been widely mistaken as being intended for the consumption of parents,” read the statement. “To know that grown men and women would drink unusually mild-tasting milk made from our powders and/or eat the powder directly from the tin is both disturbing and understandable to us. It does taste very good.”
Fonterra said it would be working hard in the coming months to combat any confusion, and intended to remove from its packaging images that might make the products seem more appealing to adult New Zealanders, such as cute bears and flowers.
In an attempt to capitalize on the scandals surrounding Fonterra this week, food company Arnott’s has released a counter-statement reassuring consumers that its Iced Animals biscuits are “still for grown ups.”