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200ml sterilized milk product from Maeil Dairy (Food Safety Korea) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] The controversy surrounding the "cleaning water" in Maeil Dairy's Gwangju factory has revealed that the factory conducted its HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certification through a self-assessment. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, companies with excellent results in the previous year's inspection can proceed with self-assessment the following year. Some have raised concerns that this lenient self-inspection might have contributed to the failure to prevent the incident.
On the 16th, Maeil Dairy posted an apology on its website regarding the contamination of its 200ml sterilized milk product, Maeil Milk Original, produced at the Gwangju factory (with a consumption date of February 16, 2025). The company outlined the actions taken and its future plans.
According to Maeil Dairy, on the afternoon of the 12th, the company learned that a few customers who consumed the affected product sought medical attention. The company immediately initiated a product recall and found that the contamination occurred due to a valve malfunction, which allowed cleaning liquid to mix with the milk for about one second during production.
Approximately 50 units of the product were produced during this time, and Maeil Dairy identified that these contaminated products had been delivered to one customer, a large company’s in-house cafeteria, which reported an off-flavor. Maeil Dairy is currently recalling all products, including those produced during the valve malfunction, with the expiration date of February 16, 2025.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
