OSAKA -- A woman in Osaka Prefecture has sued Snow Brand Milk Products Co. for 400,000 yen, claiming the company's tainted milk made her ill, judiciary sources said Thursday.
The 30-year-old woman filed the suit in late August with the Osaka Summary Court, requesting compensation for medical costs and consolation money, the sources said.
The woman was hospitalized for several days in late June while she suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhea, presumably brought on by low-fat milk produced at Snow Brand's Osaka factory, according to the sources.
She was diagnosed with acute inflammation of the intestine, while toxic staphylococcus bacteria were detected in the residue of the low-fat milk she had consumed, they said.
Following compensation talks in July and August, Snow Brand offered the woman 60,000 yen in consolation money on top of her medical costs, the sources said.
She rejected the offer, however, as insufficient compensation for the gravity of her physical and and mental suffering, they said.
The woman filed the lawsuit at the end of August, following the collapse of negotiations, the sources said.
Osaka lawyers consulted by the woman said they have formed a group and are ready to hear similar consultations from other victims of the food-poisoning.
Tainted powdered milk produced at Snow Brand's Taiki plant in Hokkaido was used as an ingredient in four dairy products made at Snow Brand's Osaka plant.
These four products caused widespread food poisoning in June and July, making some 15,000 people ill.