Bright Dairy issues apology over 2012 food safety scandals

The apology comes just weeks after the Shanghai-based firm, which is known in China as Guangming, was ordered to remove a cheese product from shelves in the country after it was found to contain a banned additive. 

The additive, milk mineral, has not been permitted for use in infant food since 2009 as it has unproven effects on babies.

In June 2012, the Shanghai-based firm was also forced to initiate a recall for hundreds of cartons of its Ubest-brand milk products after it emerged that a mechanical fault at one its plants left some products contaminated with food grade pipe cleaning lye – a corrosive alkaline substance.

Alongside its apology, Bright Dairy announced that it had implemented a number of new food safety measures at its manufacturing plants.

Deepest apologies​

“Recently, Bright Dairy has been the subject of many consecutive quality issue events,” ​said the statement, which was posted on the firm’s website.

“Our heart was heavy, food safety is the top priority of our livelihood, and the company bears the obligation of social responsibility. Bright Dairy & Foods Co Ltd wishes to express its deepest apologies to the vast number of consumers,” ​it added.

The statement also outlined a number of corrective measures that the firm has implemented and confirmed that it has established a quality and safety supervision group.

The supervision group – chaired by the company’s president – was founded to carry out a comprehensive inspection of measures at its plants in an effort to strengthen the management of its entire food safety assurance system

And “in strict accordance with the relevant national food regulations”​ the firm has also vowed to increase its cold chain logistics supervision, launch a comprehensive investigation of its transport facilities, and ensure the full food safety training of its employees “to strengthen the concept of responsibility.”​

No stranger to scandal​

The Chinese dairy sector is no stranger to food safety scandal and Bright Foods is not the only Chinese dairy brand to have had the safety of its products questioned.

In June 2012, Yili International – one of China’s largest dairy processors – was ordered to recall six months’ worth of infant formula products after elevated levels of mercury were discovered in a number of its products.