Karicare Formulas continue to be a safe choice

Karicare Gold Plus Starter and Follow-On Formulas continue to be a safe choice for New Zealand infants

16 July 2007 (New Zealand): Nutricia today reconfirmed its confidence in the safety of Karicare Gold Plus Infant and Follow-On Formulas. This follows a statement issued by the Director-General of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority today about the regulatory approval and safety assessments for a common food ingredient called fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). The NZFSA is inaccurately stating that no safety assessments have been conducted, despite the fact that it has been a permitted food ingredient since 2001.

As in many other products, a type of FOS called inulin (long chain FOS*) is an important ingredient in Karicare Gold Plus, and acts like fibre in a baby's diet. This means softer and more regular stools, less constipation, and bowel motions more like those of a breast fed infant.

It is important to reinforce that the current discussions regarding FOS are around how it is classified, and not about any safety issues.

In addition to its use in Karicare Gold Plus, inulin occurs naturally in foods like wheat, bananas and onions; and is widely used in everyday products including Sanitarium Up & Go, Continental Cup-a-Soup, Meadow Fresh Activate Yoghurt, Sym Bio Metchnikoff, Vitasoy Soy Milk, Metamucil Fibresure (100% inulin), plus others. As many of these products are also consumed by infants under 12 months of age, Nutricia remains confused about why the NZFSA singled out Karicare Gold Plus in its recent statement. In particular, Nutricia is unsure why other formulas - such as Heinz Toddler Formula, which contains 2.5 times the level of inulin contained in Karicare Gold Plus Starter and Follow-On Formulas - have not been subject to the same warnings from NZFSA.

The company would like to reassure consumers that Nutricia and independent international health authorities continue to have confidence in the safety of Karicare Gold Plus; and as such, the company strongly disputes any suggestion that any of the ingredients used in the product have not been adequately assessed.

Nutricia's first concern is for the health and wellbeing of its consumers. With this in mind, Karicare Gold Plus was extensively tested in more than 15 clinical trials1 before it was placed on the market in New Zealand, and was originally launched in Europe seven years ago. In its seven years of international use, there have been no consumer safety issues with the inulin included in Karicare Gold Plus in any market around the world, including New Zealand.

Inulin and other similar food ingredients have been assessed internationally, including within the European Union, where food safety bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority have considered them safe for use in food for a number of years.

An estimated ten million babies have safely consumed the inulin used in Karicare Gold Plus over the past seven years. Since its New Zealand launch in January 2007, approximately 4,000 babies have safely used Karicare Gold Plus locally.

Nutricia is working to ensure a permanent resolution is reached quickly. To this end, the company has:

* Partnered with NZFSA to obtain legal clarification - both NZFSA and Nutricia are currently working on a joint submission to the NZ courts to obtain legal clarification on the use of FOS, inulin and other similar ingredients in infant formula. * Proposed international standards for the regulation of prebiotics in infant formula - to avoid any doubt on the question of approval for use, Nutricia has made a submission to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) to establish better defined regulations of FOS, inulin and other similar ingredients in line with international Food Standards; regulations that Karicare Gold Plus already complies with.

It is hoped these submissions can be considered quickly so that a rapid resolution to the dispute with NZFSA can be achieved and therefore provide ongoing peace of mind to consumers.

To ensure consumers get the correct information and have their questions answered properly, the company has established a Karicare Gold Plus Infant Formula Information line on 0800 600 036, which operates 24 hours a day. Consumers can also visit www.nutricia.co.nz .

Nutricia assures all its loyal customers that Karicare Gold Plus remains one of the best quality choices in infant formula, and looks forward to settling this current dispute so that consumers can continue to enjoy the proven benefits of Karicare Gold Plus.

ENDS

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