Nestle Philippines has aired its side on a viral Facebook post which alleged that one of its ready to drink Milo products contained fungi.

On June 8, Piere Angeli Barcelo Mercado posted photos of the Milo product which contained a solidified matter on Facebook.

Mercado said that her daughter drank the chocolate drink and discovered that it contains white solid matter after they poured it out in a cup. She subsequently rushed her daughter to V. Luna Hospital for checkup.

“While having snacks at 4pm, my youngest, Ivee, had a Milo drink (110ml tetra pack). She suddenly set it aside and put it on the table so I thought she just wanted to put it in her cup. When it was poured out, we found that it contained unknown solid materials in the drink. I don’t know how much she sipped. I tasted it and found it rancid and very foul. I immediately went back to the supermarket where I bought it and complained. My daughter is due for tests tomorrow and is under observation,” Mercado wrote in the post, unedited.

In a second post dated July 28, Mercado cited the results of the test conducted by the University of the Philippines Natural Sciences Research Institute Microbiological Research and Services Laboratory which said that “the foreign matter in the milo tetra pack revealed that it was a mass of fungal hyphae.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, Nestle said that laboratory tests by its Quality Assurance experts show that the solid matter was “coagulated milk.”

“Our Quality Assurance tests showed that the hardened matter is actually coagulated milk.  Spoilage, and eventually, coagulation happen when milk gets into contact with air and heat for some time, allowing exposure to harsh elements in the environment,” the statement read.

Nestle said that it has found a “minute incision” in the pack “which could have allowed air and heat to enter, resulting in the product’s coagulation.”

Nestle said that other Milo ready-to-drink products with the same batch code tested negative of spoilage. Samples of the same product were also subjected to product integrity tests and tested negative from leaks.

It also sent samples of the product to a third party testing laboratory for microbiological testing but found that the products are “normal and commercially sterile.”

On its part, Nestle said that it has already contacted the Mercados and assured consumers that all of its products “meet the highest quality standards.”

Mercado’s posts have been shared more than 36,359 times as of posting time. AJH/IDL

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