Bedridden for two years after drinking tainted soy milk, mum Erin Downie has a message to big companies: you can't get away with messing up people's lives.
Ms Downie, the lead plaintiff in a record $25 million class action settlement over Bonsoy soy milk, was one of almost 500 people who suffered damaging health effects after drinking it.
She spent the next two years bedridden after suffering debilitating effects from the product, alleged to contain dangerous iodine levels.
"I suffered horrible and debilitating health consequences which almost destroyed my life," she told reporters.
"This case sends a strong message to big companies that they can't get away with the conduct that makes a mess of people's lives."
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers says the manufacturer, exporter and distributor of Bonsoy agreed to compensate victims in what is the highest known settlement of a food safety class action in Australia.
The action alleged that unsafe levels of iodine were added to the ingredients of the soy milk product via a seaweed product called Kombu.
The effect was to create a salty drink without having to declare the product's salt content.
But the iodine levels were 50 times the recommended daily intake in any glass, class action principal Jacob Varghese said on Monday.
The companies also should have known from at least July 2006 the levels were unsafe after tests on the milk, he said.
Mr Varghese said the outcome sent a strong message to the food and beverage sector that companies cannot get away with conduct that harms lives.
"Hopefully it leads to an increase in standards across the industry as people become more aware that consumers do have rights under our system."
The defendants have not admitted liability.
The product's Australian distributor, Spiral Foods, said the naturally sourced iodine, via the Kombu product, was used by Bonsoy during 2004-09.
The company voluntary recalled the product in late 2009 as a precaution, it said in a statement.
"Bonsoy was reformulated after strenuous efforts to ensure the soy milk retained its creamy flavour while excluding Kombu as an ingredient," the statement said.
"In keeping with Spiral Foods' commitment to quality, Bonsoy does not include any additives, oils or flavour enhancers and remains available for sale under the new reformulation."
Japanese manufacturer Marusan and exporter Muso did not respond to an opportunity to comment.
Ms Downie drank the milk while having difficulty breastfeeding her newborn, but the impacts were so severe it robbed her of valuable time with her daughter in the first years of her life.
With an auto-immune disease and chronic fatigue, her chances of having another child look slim.
"I knew someone was responsible for the damage and I made it my mission to hold someone accountable," she said.
The $25 million will be paid into a fund to be distributed to class action participants in the next six to 12 months.
The settlement is subject to Victorian Supreme Court approval on January 29.
