BFAD finds melamine in two more food products

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Two more products have tested positive for melamine, bringing to six the number of food products that have been found by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to be contaminated with melamine.

In its sixth batch of results announced Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) said the two food products that have tested positive for melamine are: Lotte B&W Koala Biscuits, and Lotte Chocolate Snack Koala Biscuits.

In the earlier batches of food products tested, the BFAD discovered melamine in four: JollyCow Slender High Calcium Low Fat Milk (1 liter);Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk (in Chinese character);  Mengniu Drink (in Chinese character); Lotte Strawberry Snack Koala Biscuit.

Negative list

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Wednesday that 22 other food products tested negative for melamine. These are:

1. Angels First Love Barquillos Fresh Milk Wafer Sticks
2. Barbecue Candy (MM)
3. Darrys Milk Choco Candy
4. Golden Fuji Crisp Tomato Flavor Cracker
5. Golden Fuji Vegetable Flavor Cracker
6. Houshuang Winter Mint Candy (MM)
7. KZ Gundam Long Candy
8. Lipton Milk Tea (Original Flavor) -- Product of Indonesia
9. Lipton Milk Tea (Vanilla Flavor)-- Product of Indonesia
10. Nicc Choice Pineapple Cake
11. OO Chocolate Bean Candy
12. Sandwich Biscuits (Green Wrapper) in Chinese Characters
13. Sandwich Biscuits (Purple Wrapper) in Chinese Characters
14. Sandwich Biscuits (Yellow Wrapper) in Chinese Characters
15. Sour Lollipop 2 in 1 (Strawberry, Orange, Pineapple)
16. Sweet Dart 8.8 Butter Ball Candy
17. The New Zoland Company Omilk Bon Bon Yogurt Milk Soft Drops (Grape Flavor)
18. W.L. Sweet Dart Pines Milk Candy
19. W.L. Sweet Dart Royal Orange Candy '
20. W.L. Yaahoo Cheese Biscuit
21. Zhongshan Meihua Galletas de Chocola Te Butter with Filling Cake
22. Zhongshan Meihua Good Taste Sweet Smelling and Crisp Biscuits (Nutrition Health Foods)

Duque said the DOH has tested 160 products for melamine. He expects the BFAD to release two more batches of results of melamine tests.

Last Friday, the government disclosed a list of 18 canned meat products which tested negative for melamine.

Duque said the DOH continues to inspect supermarkets for banned China food products. He said supermarkets are not allowed to sell the products that have tested for melamine.

Meanwhile, Duque warned consumers to be careful about buying toys that have high lead content.

He said he had instructed the Bureau of Health Devices and Technologies and BFAD to monitor the lead content in toys, especially those made in China.

Melamine banned in food in all countries

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), melamine is "widely used in plastics, adhesives, countertops, dishware, whiteboards.:

"In China, where adulteration has occurred, water has been added to raw milk to increase its volume. As a result of this dilution the milk has a lower protein concentration. Companies using the milk for further production (e.g. of powdered infant formula) normally check the protein level through a test measuring nitrogen content. The addition of melamine increases the nitrogen content of the milk and therefore its apparent protein content," the WHO said.

"Addition of melamine into food is not approved by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius (food standard commission), or by any national authorities," it said.

In 2007, the WHO said "melamine was found in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate exported from China and used in the manufacture of pet food in the United States. This caused the death of a large number of dogs and cats due to kidney failure."

WHO said "melamine alone causes bladder stones in animal tests." And "when combined with cyanuric acid, which may also be present in melamine powder, melamine can form crystals that can give rise to kidney stones."

"These small crystals can also block the small tubes in the kidney potentially stopping the production of urine, causing kidney failure and, in some cases, death. Melamine has also been shown to have carcinogenic effects in animals in certain circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on carcinogenic risk in humans," the WHO said.

Symptoms and signs of melamine poisoning are: irritability, blood in urine, little or no urine, signs of kidney infection, high blood pressure. -- report from SOL ARAGONES, ABS-CBN News