ABOUT IDEAL AND CARNATION EVAPORATED MILKS
1. What is happening with IDEAL and CARNATION evaporated milks?
In Ghana, some consumers have regrettably had unusual experiences with their evaporated milks namely IDEAL Milk and CARNATION Tea Creamer. Some have found that their milk has coagulated in the packaging. In collaboration with the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Nestlé has investigated thoroughly, identified the root cause, and put a solution in place.
2. Why does evaporated milk coagulate?
Evaporated milk can coagulate (split into solids and liquid) if the protein in the milk curdles as a result of a defect in the product process, or when the packaging material is compromised. Coagulated milk in this particular instance is not a food safety issue.
3. What caused the coagulation in IDEAL and CARNATION evaporated milks?
A root cause analysis indicates that “the skimmed milk powder (raw material) used to produce the milk complained of has poor heat stability. This results in the denaturing of the protein leading to the coagulation of the milk. Denatured protein however poses no health risk.”
4. Is it a food safety problem?
No, it is not. We say this because analyses at both Nestlé and FDA laboratories have shown that there is no microbial contamination of the milk and thus no food safety issue with said milk products.
5. If this is not a food safety issue, what is it?
It is a physical deviation of the state of the product, which is liquid to an undesirable state called coagulation, which depicts a solid or semi-solid look.
6. Can the coagulated product be consumed as it is?
This is not how your preferred IDEAL Milk and CARNATION Tea Creamer is intended to be consumed, so we kindly ask that you contact us for a replacement.
ABOUT ACTIONS INITIATED BY NESTLÉ
7. What is Nestlé doing to resolve this issue?
We regret this situation very much and we are taking this matter very seriously. Although this is not a food safety issue, we know that consumers continue to report finding problems with the product. As such, we have decided to temporarily recall all IDEAL Milk and CARNATION Tea Creamer products from the shelves.
8. Why Nestlé is taking all the evaporated Milk products off the shelf? Nestlé has decided that the responsible action is to take all the products off the shelves temporarily to prove the robustness of the solution and get the full endorsement from the FDA.
Further to this decision, we have also temporarily halted production of all IDEAL milk and CARNATION Tea Creamer at our Tema Factory. Our priority is to provide the best quality products to consumers, which is why we are taking every action to resolve this issue.
9. Will this situation impacts employees at Tema Factory?
We have been present in Ghana for over 64 years and started production of IDEAL 50 years ago. Today, hundreds of employees of Nestlé Ghana Ltd. are working to provide high quality, affordable and accessible nutrition to our consumers. We look forward to overcoming this obstacle and to an even better future for ourselves and for generations to come.
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ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO AS A CONSUMER
10. As a consumer, what do I do with any IDEAL Milk or CARNATION Tea Creamer I may have?
Anyone who has a concern should contact us. We will continue to exchange products that people might have purchased already if they find a problem, provided the consumer has the physical sample.
11. How do I contact Nestlé?
If you have feedback on any of our products and services, kindly reach out to us through our consumer services:
- Call us toll-free on 0800120001, Monday through Friday from 8 am till 12 midnight and on weekends and holidays from 8 am to 5 pm
- Call us on 030 221 1880 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm)
- Call, WhatsApp or SMS us on 059 384 5697, 059 384 5649 and 059 384 5708 between 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
- Email [email protected]
- Send direct messages (DM) to @NestléCWAR on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or @IdealMilkGhana on Facebook and Instagram.
12. Do I still need to check my batch number before contacting Nestlé?
No. If you find a problem with any product you have purchased, just contact us.
13. What do I do if I have milk from the batches initially communicated by Nestlé?
Anyone who has any IDEAL Milk or CARNATION Tea Creamer product from one of these batches can drop them off at any Nestlé office across the country and obtain a replacement. Alternatively, you can contact us for information on other ways to exchange a product from these batches.
14. What will happen after contacting Nestlé?
After raising your case with us, our Consumer Engagement Team will reach out to discuss how to pick up the product and provide a replacement.
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