The bath milk contains raw, or unpasteurised, milk and is sold in one and two litre varieties.
“Mountain View Farm Organic Bath Milk has been linked to a number of recent health concerns in young children after being used as a substitute for regular pasteurised milk," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard says.
“The message from health agencies is clear: do not drink unpasteurised milk. If you have this product, do not drink it in any circumstances. Return it to the place of purchase for a full refund,” she adds.
Warning
In Australia, the sale of raw cow’s milk for consumption is illegal however the ACCC understands that some people do consume the product despite it being marketed as bath milk.
“The recalled product is called Organic Bath Milk and labelling indicates that it is a cosmetic product. It also carries a warning that the product is not suitable for human consumption,” adds Rickard.
“Nevertheless, this product is sold in containers that resemble commonly used milk containers, and four children under the age of five have fallen ill after drinking contaminated raw milk in the last few weeks, while the death of the three-year-old has been referred to the coroner."
On its Facebook page, Mountain View Farm offered condolences to the family of the child who died and asked customers to either throw away the milk or return it for a refund.
“We are a small family business, and as a mother of three children my heart goes out to the family that have lost their precious child and the unbearable pain they must be going through,” writes owner Vicki Jones.
“While we appreciate there has been a lot of speculation in the media, a lot of people jumping to conclusions, it is important that we wait for the coroner’s findings,” she adds.
Investigation
The ACCC is leading a national investigation of consumer law regulators into possible breaches of the Australian Consumer Law by sellers of raw milk when sold as a cosmetic product.
Regulators will consider issues including whether product labels mislead consumers; whether the sellers’ obligation to provide safe goods has been met and whether voluntary or mandatory changes will address health concerns.