Italian Magistrate Orders Payment of Damages for Contaminated Milk

An Italian magistrate has reportedly determined that Nestlé Italia and Tetra Pak International are liable for the “psychological prejudice” of parents who gave their daughters milk purportedly contaminated with chemicals from the carton. The milk was apparently withdrawn from sale in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy in late 2005, over concerns about the leaching of IsopropilThioXantone, a chemical used in printing on the cartons, into the dairy product. Millions of liters of liquid baby milk were reportedly recalled, and a consumers’ organization indicates that the latest ruling is the first in Italy since the product was withdrawn from the market. See Agence France Presse, March 2, 2009.