Brussels, 02/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is closely monitoring the situation with regard to the mozzarella that was contaminated by a bacterium, and production of milk and cheese foodstuffs at the Milchwerk Jäger firm in Germany, which is involved in this problem, will be able to resume only when it is verified that these products will be safe for consumption. That is the two-fold message that emerged from the meeting on 1 July of EU experts at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health.
The manufacture of dairy products, such as mozzarella, will only resume once the source of the contamination has been eliminated and product quality can be guaranteed, the European Commission says. The mozzarella produced by Milchwerk Jäger turned blue when exposed to the air as a result of contamination by the pseudomonas fluorescens bacterium, which can be dangerous to older people or those with weakened immune systems.
The alert was raised in Italy on 9 June and all other countries were informed of the problem. The German company was working for an Italian firm which marketed the products in discount stores. Some of the goods imported into Italy were subsequently re-exported to Slovenia.
In all, more than a tonne of mozzarella from Germany was seized in Italy where, according to the Ministry, they are sold under five names: Land, Malga Paradiso, Lovilio, Fattoria Torresina and Monteverdi. (L.C./transl.rt)