FDA testing for Chinese toxic milk ingredients
The Food and Drug Administration has asked distributors to temporarily remove six products - biscuits and snacks - from their shelves for fear they contain contaminated Chinese milk.
From today, Oreo wafer sticks, Dove milk chocolate bars, M&M chocolate candies, Snickers caramel peanut bars and nougat, Mentos yoghurt candies, and Mao Huad coffee and oatmeal crackers should not be sold in stores.
Deputy Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant said the FDA initially wanted sales of the products suspended for a week or two so toxicity tests could be run on them.
Mr Wicharn yesterday met importers, producers, distributors, department store, retail and wholesale shop operators and asked for their cooperation.
But he said any who refuse would not be seen as breaking the law and would not be punished.
He called on small stores to cooperate as well and said consumers who see these items on sale should call the FDA hotline: 1556.
The list is based on the FDA's registration of distributed and imported products which contain Chinese milk or milk products as an ingredient.
Unscrupulous milk suppliers in China added the cheap, toxic industrial chemical melamine - used in pesticides and plastic-making - to substandard milk to inflate the nitrogen count, which is used to determine protein levels.
Their actions have sparked global alarm. More than 54,000 children have been reported sick from tainted milk products in China and nearly 13,000 infants admitted to hospital with kidney illnesses, 104 in a serious condition with kidney stones and agonising complications. Five Hong Kong children also have kidney stones after drinking tainted milk formula from China.
Many countries have banned milk products from China and many more have placed restrictions on them.
FDA secretary-general Chatree Bancheun said melamine in low concentrations would not cause mutations, only urinary tract irritation. Infants can safely consume 19-20mg of melamine per kilogramme of daily food intake.
"However, for parents' peace of mind, babies should be breast-fed. Mother's milk is far better for infants' development than powdered or other instant milk."
In Hat Yai, vendors at the popular Kimyong, Santisuk, Pangthong and Plaza markets quickly pulled all Chinese dairy products from their displays.
Livestock Development Department chief Sakchai Sriboonseu has ordered strict checks for melamine in livestock products and animal feed materials.
On Wednesday, the FDA banned White Rabbit candies from China, for fear the edible inner wrapping may contain melamine.
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