Parents are urged to check baby squeezable food pouches before using them after some products were discovered with damaged packaging, New Zealand Food Safety says.
About 30 individual pouches of baby food across six supermarkets in Auckland, and one in Napier, have been discovered with damaged packaging. All damaged product has been removed from shelves.
As a precaution, Woolworths New Zealand has checked all baby food in all their stores and distribution centres across the country to ensure no damaged product remains on shelves. Foodstuffs are in the process of checking all baby food in its stores as well.
The matter is being investigated to determine the source of the damage, says New Zealand Food Safety Director of Compliance Gary Orr.
“Our advice to parents is that they should check the packaging of baby food pouches before using them. You can give the packet a light squeeze to identify any holes or other damage.
“In all the damaged product that has been identified so far, the holes have been prominent and easy to see without squeezing. Of course, any product with any damaged packaging should not be consumed."
If anyone has any doubts about any baby food pouches purchased, Orr says to let the retailer know and return it to the store as it may help in tracking down the cause of the damage.
"If you have any medical concerns about your children seek medical advice," he says.
“While we’ve not yet been able to be definitive about the cause of the damaged baby food packages in this instance, we’re looking into the possibility that it was the result of a manufacturing fault.”
The matter has been referred to the police to rule out the possibility that the damage was caused deliberately and they are investigating.
“Police are making a number of inquiries to establish the circumstances of how the damage occurred.”
The brands in which damaged product has been identified are:
- Only Organic
- Natureland
- Smiling Tums
The stores in which damaged product has been identified are:
- Birkenhead Countdown, Auckland – 15 packets
- Milford Countdown, Auckland – 4 packets
- Meadowlands Countdown, Auckland – 1 packet
- Three Kings Countdown, Auckland – 2 packs
- SuperValue Avondale, Auckland – 6 packs
- Carlyle Countdown, Napier – 1 packet