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Friday, September 26, 2008
China-made milk importers warned of raps
MANILA -- The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will file criminal charges against importers who will bring China-made milk and dairy products in the country.
Commissioner Napoleon Morales said they will also invoke his visitorial power to inspect or check on supermarkets, warehouses and other commercial establishments where milk and dairy products are being sold and stored.
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He added that all milk and dairy products found to be containing "melamine," a chemical used in making plastics will be immediately seized and disposed of.
Melamine gives milk a higher protein count in tests. While ingesting minute amounts of it is not considered dangerous, the chemical can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.
"Once we confiscated milk and dairy products, we will consult the health department as to the mode of disposition or condemnation of these items. This is a joint task force and we will do anything to ensure public safety," he said.
Records from the BOC also showed more than two million kilograms of milk imported from China entered the country during the first eight months this year.
Morales said most of the milk and dairy products imported from China are distributed by Fly Ace Corporation and Fonterra Brands Philippines, Inc.
The BOC has temporarily cancelled the import permits of the two Chinese milk importers pending the temporary ban on Chinese milk products by the Department of Health.
Morales said BOC has also stopped issuing import permits to other Chinese milk product distributors pending the DOH ban.
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Laboratory analysis
Morales, in a memorandum issued on September 22, ordered all district collectors and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service to ensure that all shipments of dairy and milk products originating and manufactured in China shall be subjected to laboratory analysis by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) and clearance prior to release from Customs custody.
Aside from milk products, BFAD may include in their laboratory test milk by-products coming from China like cheese, yoghurt, and chocolates.
National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC) Director Yolanda Oliveros said the test results of milk by-products will be the deciding factor on whether milk by-products will be included in the ban on all China-made milk products.
"BFAD will conduct random sampling on milk by-products from China to see if there are any (melamine contamination)," she said.
She said BFAD is continuously conducting national market inspection and random testing for possible milk products that are still available in the market.
Oliveros, during Thursday's press briefing, also allayed fears of an increase in kidney stone cases among the Filipino children.
She explained that in order to develop kidney stones from melamine, one has to establish the presence of food with melamine content.
At the same time, she said that since the department has so far found no proof that melamine-contaminated products have reached the country, there is no cause for worry.
"We have no data that shows that there is an increase of kidney stones, and in children, we hardly find any," she said.
She said most cases reported in the renal registry in 2007 are congenital in nature, or those that require dialysis, kidney transplant or biopsy.
Breastfeeding
The United Nation Children's Fund (Unicef) and the World Health Organization (WHO) from China on the other hand have called on the public to practice breastfeeding to protect infants from the tainted milk products.
The two international health groups said there is nothing safer than for babies to drink milk from mothers especially in the wake of the China milk scare.
"Global health authorities agree that breast milk is unquestionably better for infant feeding than any infant formula. No infant formula contains the perfect combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats to enhance infant growth and brain development as breast milk does. No infant formula contains antibodies to protect infants against infection as breast milk does. No infant formula is as safe to administer as breast milk is," they said.
Aside from the level of security it provides for infants, Unicef, and WHO agreed that breast milk is better than infant milk formula because it has all the needed nutrients that could help in the growth and development of infants. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (September 26, 2008 issue)
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