Nestlé scolded by European Food Safety Authority

Nestlé, the world’s biggest food company, has been accused by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) of potentially misleading the public by misinterpreting the risk of isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) following the discovery of traces of the chemical, which was used as a printing ink on packaging, in infant formula milk made at Nestlé’s factory at Sevares in Spain.

EFSA said: “Contrary to statements being made by third parties, EFSA has not carried out a risk assessment on ITX to date.” It has written to both Nestlé and packaging firm Tetra Pak to express its concerns.

Nestlé responded: “The elements criticised by EFSA are quotes written by two professional journalists at a European Commission press conference.” The firm denied EFSA’s accusations that it issued the information in the form of a press release, claiming that the statement appeared on its website, but was not sent out to anyone. Nestlé also argued that the statement had not been “withdrawn” as EFSA has claimed, but merely updated. “We adapt the statement for the evolution of the issue,” said a Nestlé spokesman.

A huge recall of Nestlé’s infant formula was instigated across Europe last month after tests confirmed that traces of ITX had contaminated the infant formula milk sold in Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. Following the discovery, Nestlé referred to reports of EFSA having said: ‘EFSA has determined that the chemical found should not cause a toxic threat in the levels detected. It has deemed the milk as posing no immediate health risk,’ to allay public concern.

However, EFSA was worried this part of its statement used in isolation without also referring to the part where it said it was ‘based on very limited data’ might be misconstrued as an endorsement of the chemical. EFSA has since stated that it had “not been able to determine the safety of ITX”.

Following the recall, packaging firm Tetra Pak announced that it would no longer use ITX on its milk and fruit juice cartons. It added the chemical would be removed from its carton range by the end of January. Nestlé chief executive Peter Brabeck-Letmathe said the impact of the recall on the firm’s global profitability would be a "storm in a teacup".

EFSA’s Scientific Panel will publish its formal opinion on the risks of ITX by March 2006.