Deputy Prime Minister Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani issued Decision No.1/2424 on the withdrawal of the infant milk manufactured by the French dairy milk company Lactalis Group from the Lebanese markets. The decision was issued because of fears of Agona salmonella bacteria contamination, according to the information received from the World health Organization, knowing that this milk has been exported to more than a country, including Lebanon.

The Ministry of Public Health has as well prevented the entry of milk products that were still in Beirut port and ordered to be returned to the manufacturing country. The Ministry has temporarily frozen the importation of all Lactalis products, pending receipt of clarification from the French Agency for Health.

The Ministry has sent samples to two laboratories in specialized university hospitals and to Fanar laboratory for Agona Salmonella examination, knowing that when permission was given for the entry of this milk to Lebanon, the ministry conducted the measures for importation; the file included laboratory analyses from the French factory and analyses conducted in the laboratories of the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute – Fanar that works under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. The results of both labs were similar and confirmed that the milk was free of salmonella.

Attached: The decision of the Minister, The analysis of the manufacturing country and Fanar laboratory based on which the milk has entered the Lebanese territories.