About 420,000 cans of tainted Similac Gain Plus 3 baby milk have been pulled out of Saudi stores by New Zealand dairy company Fonterra’s agents in the Kingdom, Saudi Food & Drug Authority announced on Saturday.

“This does not mean all tainted Similac milk cans have been removed from the market,” the SFDA said, cautioning the public against using the product as it might be contaminated by clostridium botulinum bacteria.

The SFDA urged the company’s agent to remove all Similac Gain Plus 3 products from the market, although some of the product’s consignments were free from contamination, to ensure the safety of children. It has also sent product samples to international laboratories to make sure they were not tainted.

In a previous statement, Taher Salem, regional general director of Abbott, said the product in the Gulf region is safe for use and it is different from the recalled infected powder infant formula sold in the United States.

New Zealand’s main dairy exporter, Fonterra itself has reported that its laboratory tests found in a batch of its milk products a strain of bacteria that could cause botulism.

Citing a circular from the International Food Safety Authorities Network, the SFDA had said the affected Similac Gain Plus stocks, are meant for children aged 1 to 3.