Tip-off uncovers huge undeclared powdered milk find

Dr Pipat Yingseri, secretarygeneral of the FDA, said yesterday that after the FDA received a tipoff from a citizen about a huge batch of powdered milk stored in a townhouse, he ordered inspectors to investigate and they found 150 plastic bags, each containing 25 kilograms of the dairy ingredient. None of the bags came with documentation supporting the source of production.

The company's staff told the FDA that the stock was purchased from a dealer, who imported it from Australia, not from China.

The FDA seized all of the powdered milk to investigate the manufacturer and importer and to test for melamine contamination.

Powdered milk is designated as a specially controlled product, whose import details must be declared.

The discovery of high melamine concentrations in powdered milk products from China and milk products in Thailand during the past month has prompted the Public Health Ministry to join with six agencies and manufacturers in issuing a nationwide order to survey melamine residue in milk and milkbased food products.

Deputy Public Health Minister Vichan Meenchaiyanant, said the collaboration of the Agriculture, Finance, Commerce, Industry and Education ministries, Consumer Protection Board and manufacturers is aimed at protecting consumers from melaminetainted products and boosting their confidence that food products are safe to eat.

Health authorities and agencies will examine every process of production for milk products and milkbased products, while the Customs Department will check all imported products at risk of melamine contamination and send samples for testing.

The FDA will check imported and locallymade ingredients used in the manufacturing process for milk products and milkbased food products.

The Disease Control Department and Medical Service Department will monitor symptoms in humans from consuming tainted food.

The Service Support Department will disseminate information and knowledge about melamine contamination in milk and milkbased food products.

The Agriculture Ministry will check all the whole production process for animal feed and ingredients from farm, to plant and place of purchase.

The Education Ministry will watch out for any substandard products sold in schools across the country.

If any manufacturer violates regulations controlling food contamination, the Consumer Protection Board will sue them.

The Public Health Ministry is planning to ask the economic ministries to issue regulations for manufacturers and importers to report the production source of milk products and the import of melamine.

It will also seek an Industry Ministry ban on the use of melamine except for the ink, glue and container industries.

Out of the 857 milk products tested so far by the FDA for traces of melamine, 640 were deemed safe for consumption. Only two possessed dangerous levels of melamine - the 120 tonnes of Chinese powdered milk imported by Dairy Plus and Mali's unsweetened condensed skimmed milk with a palm oil formula.