On Sunday, a representative of Vietnam’s largest dairy producer, Vinamilk, asserted that the company did not purchase whey protein from China for its baby formula production, dispelling a rumor that has spread on social networks.
Whey protein has attracted global media over the last month after several baby formula products made and exported by New Zealand-based dairy cooperative Fonterra using this ingredient were suspected of containing bacteria that could lead to botulism, a potentially fatal illness.
Vinamilk said it only sourced whey protein from the US and the EU. The confirmation is backed by import documents offered by the customs agencies.
Earlier this month, Fonterra’s sales manager, Mark Robinson, sent a letter to Vinamilk CEO Mai Kieu Lien to confirm that Fonterra has not supplied any whey protein to the dairy firm.
The document came after Vinamilk complained that its exports to Iraq received an Import Alert over suspicions that its products used whey protein supplied by Fonterra.
Also Sunday, the Vietnam Food Administration released its official conclusion on its review of locally manufactured baby formula for Clostridium botulinum content.
“None of the samples of domestic milk products contained Clostridium botulinum,” the VFA concluded.