Abbott's milk brand "Similac" entered as a counterfeit in China. (Photo : Getty Images)
China’s food safety authority clarified its earlier announcement that the counterfeit “Similac” milk powder is “safe” for consumption, adding that laboratory tests showed the knockoff version of the brand was generic infant formula.
On Monday, the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) declared 17,000 cans of counterfeit Abbott-brand milk that were illegally distributed in seven province-level regions in China to pose no risk to babies who have already consumed it.
At the time, authorities have also revealed the arrest of six people who were found to be connected in the distribution of the fake milk.
Now, the CFDA is attempting to ease doubts by clarifying its previous statement.
According to the agency, the laboratory findings on test conducted on the fake milk revealed that it did not pose any harm to babies who consumed it because it's actually real infant formula--albeit a cheaper one--and was only repackaged into the Similac cans.
However, the CFDA clarified that even if this is the case, the counterfeit products would still be disposed of.
"Manufacturing and selling knockoff formula constitutes intellectual property rights infringement and commercial fraud, and fake formula will be confiscated and destroyed regardless of whether or not it threatens public health and has passed qualification inspection," the CFDA explained in a statement on Wednesday cited by the Global Times.
Unfortunately, the update only stirred worry among parents who took to the Internet to ask whether there would still be more similar cases that would arise.
Furthermore, Get Top News cited consumers who questioned another statement from the CFDA that conflicted with a statement from the agency claiming that all units of fake milk have already been confiscated.
"The City of Food and Drug Safety Office is assisting the public security department under the State Council Food Safety Office of supervision requirements, coordination of the relevant seven provinces thorough investigation of the flow of fake milk powder," the questionable statement read.
"Since all confiscated, why a thorough investigation of the flow?" the outlet said.
So far, the case is still under investigation and those arrested have yet to be tried for their crimes.
