The company said it complies with the standards and argued that the evidence provided during the five-year investigation was not considered.
The controversy surrounding Colombia’s dairy industry has escalated to a new level with the decision of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) to impose a fine of more than $21 billion (US$ 5.05 million) on four of the country’s main producers: Lactalis, Gloria, Hacienda San Mateo and Sabanalac.
The reason behind the fine is compelling: the alleged addition of whey to whole milk without informing the consumer, a practice that, if confirmed, would have given undue economic advantages to these companies.
However, Lactalis Colombia categorically rejected the decision. In a statement issued on Thursday, February 13, the French multinational assured that its milk has not been adulterated and that the sanction has no legal basis.
The company also announced that it will defend its position before the relevant entities and affirmed that its production standards comply with international best practices.
Lactalis has expressed its willingness to work with the authorities to ensure a transparent and fair milk market, in which there is room for all producers and the most vulnerable farmers are protected.
The controversy centres on whether the sanctioned companies engaged in unfair competition, reducing costs without lowering the final price of their products and without informing consumers about the real composition of the milk they purchased.
The problem is that whey cannot be detected in milk with the naked eye. The only way to identify it is through specialized analysis, such as that carried out by the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima) during the SIC investigation.
Whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process. Although it has applications in the food industry, its addition to whole milk is prohibited in Colombia.
The reason is that its presence alters the nutritional composition of the product and could affect the quality perceived by consumers.
The key finding was the presence of caseinomacropeptide (CMP), a chemical marker that reveals the presence of whey.
The tests were carried out on products from well-known brands, including Medalla de Oro, Máxima, Algarra, De la Cuesta, Alkosto Hiperahorro, Parmalat, Latti and Pomar.
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