Last week, Nestlé Australia ordered independent tests on its recently re-formulated NAN Hypo Allergenic (H.A.) 1 Gold infant formula after coming under attack from concerned parents in the country.
The Swiss firm received dozens of complaints from parents, with many citing adverse reactions such as dehydration, vomiting, rashes and dark green stools. Hundreds more scathing reviews have been posted online.
In 2011, Nestlé re-formulated its NAN H.A. 1 Gold recipe, switching calcium chloride for potassium chloride.
Nestlé has confirmed that complaints had come from those who had switched from the old product to the new re-formulated product.
No safety issues
Despite the concerns, the NSW Food Authority has stated its satisfaction in the safety of the product.
“The NSW Food Authority has been in contact with Nestlé in relation to concerns about its infant formula product Nestlé NAN H.A 1 Gold,” said a statement from the regional body.
“After reviewing information provided by Nestlé on its product, as well as the results from independent testing by a NATA accredited Australian Laboratory, the Authority is satisfied there are no food safety issues,” it said.
“It is not uncommon for some infants to experience difficulties when changing to a new formula, or in this case one which has some new ingredients.”
Improved composition
Following the government announcement, Nestlé Australia has moved to defend the safety of its product for the second time in the space of a week.
Last week, the firm announced that tests had so-far concluded that there was no safety issue.
“We are constantly renovating our range of products as we improve their nutritional profile, taste, flavour and composition. The introduction of a new NAN H.A. range of infant formula products in June 2011 was part of that process,” said a Nestlé Australia statement.
“We understand the concern of those whose babies were unwell, and we want to reassure them that NAN H.A infant formula, like all our products, meets the highest standards of quality and safety.”
“In Australia we have repeated the thorough tests we run before the product leaves the factory and shared the results with the local authorities. The results reconfirm our findings that the product is safe,” it added.
Nestlé has also since been forced to reassure consumers in Malaysia that the product in question is safe for consumption.
The firm told theBorneoPost.com: “Nestlé Malaysia would like to reassure that Malaysia’s NAN H.A. infant formula produced in Switzerland, like all other Nestlé, are safe for consumption.”