The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will investigate the sterilized milk from Maeil Dairy, which contained cleaning water. Maeil Dairy is working hard to alleviate anxiety through an apology issued in the name of Vice Chairman Kim Sun-hee. In the apology, Vice Chairman Kim emphasized, "This is something that should never happen with even a single pack of milk."
According to food industry sources and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 16th, starting today, the ministry will conduct on-site inspections at Maeil Dairy's Gwangju plant. This follows the finding that cleaning water had been mixed into the original Maeil milk sterilized 200㎖ product produced at this plant on September 19. The ministry plans to decide on administrative measures against Maeil Dairy based on the inspection results.
Maeil Dairy has voluntarily recalled over 10,000 units of the original sterilized milk that has recently come under scrutiny. The recall targets products produced at the Gwangju plant on September 19, which are labeled with a consumption date of February 16 of next year.
In the apology, Maeil Dairy stated, "We confirmed that the cleaning liquid was mixed due to a valve operation error for about one second during the production process and validated this through data with Tetra Pak, a global dairy equipment corporation," adding, "It has been determined that the products produced during this time totaled 50, and they were supplied to only one specific customer." Maeil Dairy also mentioned, "We have recalled all products produced on that day, including those made during the time of the valve operation error."
The story about the sterilized milk containing cleaning water began spreading online from the 12th. Photos of milk with a brown solution were also shared. The post stated that "An employee of Hyundai Motor Company’s Namyang Research Institute ate 200㎖ of Maeil milk served in a company cafeteria and was hospitalized after vomiting blood," and it suggested that the liquid, presumed to be a highly alkaline substance, was strong bleach that could make the mouth sore within just one second.
Maeil Dairy is focusing on preventing further spread of anxiety regarding dairy products. This is due to the growing concerns about all products from Maeil Dairy, particularly among mommy communities over the past weekend. Sterilized milk is now a product that parents of infants just over a year old (12 months) frequently purchase. During the transition from formula to milk, parents often buy sterilized milk, which can be stored at room temperature, for outdoor activities with their children to avoid the possibility of milk spoiling.
Shin, a resident of Haeundae, Busan, who has a 10-month-old infant, said, "My child is not at an age to express that the taste is strange, and since the child mainly drinks through a straw, I became worried as soon as I saw the post," adding, "Especially, I usually buy Maeil's Sangha Farm milk and cheese for my child, and even if it is a different product than those that have been problematic, I’m concerned whether I can continue to trust these products because the processes might be similar."
In the apology, Maeil Dairy stated, "A quality issue that should never occur in products that people trust and consume from young children to the elderly has arisen," and added, "This is something that should never happen with even a single pack of milk, and we deeply reflect that we were insufficient in managing the production process and quality inspection procedures." They further stated, "We have immediately completed improvements to the software systems capable of preventing operational errors at the source, and we will continuously strengthen our quality safety management system in collaboration with top-level equipment professional corporations both domestically and internationally."