A local company that imports and packages milk powder for retail has been directed by the Ministry of Health to improve its labeling of milk product.
Oz Eco Packaging has been given 2 months to improve their labeling of their Milk Powder and failure to do so will result in the Ministry taking further action.
This is important so that the consumers are well informed of what they are buying.
The company has been directed to change their product name to “WHOLE MILK POWDER” instead of “MILK POWDER”.
Whole milk powder must contain between 26% and 40% milk fat (by weight) on an “as is'' basis and not more than 5.0% moisture (by weight) on a milk-solids-not-fat (MSNF) basis.
Consumers need to be aware that under Codex and the Food Safety Regulation 2009, the names of milk powder permitted in Fiji are: “cream milk, partly skimmed milk powder or semi skim milk powder, whole milk powder or full cream milk powder and skimmed milk powder or low fat milk powder”.
Hence there is no product name as just Milk Powder. Considering the amount of milk fat, milk protein and moisture content together with the certification from AQIS, the product should be called as WHOLE MILK POWDER.
The concern product is a blend of Whole Milk Powder and Grow Up Milk Powder (GUMP). The GUMP is a re-formulated blend aiming at meeting the nutritional needs of consumers and increasing the amount of micro and macro nutrients in the product.
The product also contains added/synthetic taurine.
The product has been certified by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) that it is safe for Human consumption.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has found that most milk powders in the market do not fully comply with the labeling requirements stipulated under the Food Safety Act 2003 and the Food Safety Regulation 2009.
Non compliances range from misleading labeling, promoting other products on the milk package, falsified information and incomplete information.
The Ministry is urging all companies to be responsible and do not allow greed to blind them from seeing their moral, ethical, legal and social responsibility.
Dr. Neil Sharma
Minister for Health