News Dairy
Milcobel may resume production and delivery of cheese
Milcobel can again supply cheese from existing stocks and start production in the Moorslede factory in phases. This informs the Belgian food agency FASFC. Everything has been declared safe and the green light has been given for unblocking after the listeria incident† The release follows a risk analysis supervised by the FASFC. The entire factory and cheese stock were checked for this.
Milcobel reports that the cause of the contamination can be traced back to the maintenance of one of the seven brine baths. Products that have been in that brine bath during that time have either been blocked at the factory or recalled as a precaution. The previously published recall of certain cheeses remains unaffected. According to an extensive sampling (more than 3.000 samples), no products contaminated with listeria reached the consumer.
In close consultation with the food agency FASFC, the delivery of the cheese stocks is being started and the factory in Moorslede is restarted. Due to the shutdown of the factory, Milcobel had to give some of the staff temporary leave and a large volume of milk had to be sold on the spot market. Milcobel cannot yet say what the damage is from the incident. There is insurance for recalls, but there is also damage due to shutdown and not being able to produce according to plan.
Milcobel reports that the incident is in any case being thoroughly evaluated and that the necessary lessons are being drawn from it. Risk management will be further tightened.
Klaas van der Horst
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