Saturday, October 04, 2008 2 milk brands found unsafe
TWO Chinese milk brands being sold in the country tested positive of melamine, the Department of Health (DOH) revealed yesterday.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced that Mengniu Drink and Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk tested positive of melamine after undergoing a series of laboratory tests conducted by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad).
In a health advisory released yesterday, Bfad said that only Mengniu Drink and Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk were found to contain melamine among the 30 products tested.
However, milk consumers in Central Visayas have nothing to worry about, said Bfad 7 officials.
“Based on inspections, we no longer have these products in the market,” said Bfad 7 Section Head Monina Coyoca.
But this would not stop the Bfad 7 from conducting mall inspections and trying to find additional China-made milk and milk-based products that are being sold to consumers.
“We will continue with our monitoring,” Coyoca said.
Importers and store-owners who buy or sell the two milk brands will face sanctions to be imposed by the Bfad.
“They should not be selling the products in the first place because they have been told not to sell the products,” Coyoca said.
Now with the discovery of melamine-positive milk products in the country, the Bfad 7 has also advised the public to momentarily stay away from Chinese food products until the “coast is clear.”
“We will just have to refrain from eating food products coming from China,” advised Coyoca.
Coyoca stressed that it is also important that mothers should refrain from buying any Chinese milk formula for their children.
Likewise, the DOH 7 Director Susana Madarieta advised the milk-consuming public to be on the lookout for any Chinese food product.
“They just really have to be careful with what they are buying. Check the labels, the ingredients and where the product is coming from,” Madarieta said.
With the possibility that melamine-tainted milk were sold in the region, the DOH 7 is now also closely monitoring all hospitals for cases of children with kidney stones.
But Madarieta assured that there have been no reported cases.
Meanwhile, in a circular dated Sept. 29, the Bfad allowed importers to have their products tested for melamine presence in accredited Bfad laboratories.
“They can test their products in other laboratories. However, based on the results of the testing, it is still the Bfad that will make the final announcement.
Results will undergo another analysis by the Bfad just to be sure,” said Coyoca. (EPB)
