UK: Japanese dairy plants re-open after food poisoning outbreak

Japan's leading dairy producer, Snow Brand Milk Products Ltd, has been told by the government it can re-open 20 of its 21 plants, after more than 12,000 Snow Brand customers suffered food poisoning after consuming its products.But, the government has said the company's plant in Osaka, western Japan, where tainted milk originated, will remain closed while police continue to investigate.Vowing to regain public confidence after sales plunged by 80% as a direct result of the scandal, Snow Brand president, Kohei Nishi has said it will take several years to regain trust from its customers.However, plans by the company to change its household name to distance itself from the health scare are no longer being considered. Instead, it will increase tests for bacteria in factories, never recycle milk products and will reveal more information to the public about its operations.After cancelling all Snow Brand shipments after officials said the food poisoning outbreak could have been caused by negligence, Ito Yokado Co, Japan's biggest retailing group has said it will resume sales of Snow Brands milk products, except in the region around Osaka. Seven top executives at Snow Brand and the company's previous president Tetsuro Ishikawa resigned because of the scare - the country's worst outbreak of food poisoning for 30 years.Sarah Diston