Milk products from China’s 2 disgraced producers reach RP
FIDEL JIMENEZ, GMANews.TV
09/20/2008 | 01:51 AM
MANILA, Philippines – Milk brands from China’s Mengniu Dairy Group Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co. - two of three companies found to have melamine in their milk products - have reached the Philippines, according to a television report early Saturday.
Late night newscast Saksi reported that a GMA Network news team found Mengniu and Yili products in some malls in Metro Manila.
The report contradicted the Bureau of Food and Drugs statement that milk products from Mengniu and Yili are not sold in the Philippines.
China's quality watchdog, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, reported that tests show nearly 10 percent of samples taken from Mengniu and Yili contained melamine. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also shows melamine contamination.
Melamine is a toxic industrial chemical that can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. It has no nutritional value but is high in nitrogen, making products with it appear higher in protein. Suppliers trying to cut costs are believed to have added it to watered-down milk to cover up the resulting protein deficiency.
In another development, the Associated Press reported that China's tainted milk crisis widened Friday after tests found the melamine in liquid milk produced by three of the country's leading dairy companies, the quality watchdog said.
The crisis was initially thought to have been confined to tainted milk powder. But about 10 percent of liquid milk samples taken from Mengniu Dairy Group Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co. contained melamine, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also showed contamination.
A GMA News team bought several tetrapacks of Mengnui’s brand “Monmilk" from some malls in Quezon City and Divisoria district in Manila.
Meanwhile, reporter Mark Salazar visited Mengnui's Web site and learned that the company’s dairy products have reached Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
GMA News tried to reach Mengnui officials in Hong Kong for comment but they were not available.
The news report said the GMA News team wants to know if Mengnui products that have been sold in the Philippines are included in the product recall issued Wednesday.
In its official statement published by the Associated Press, Mengnui clarified that only three batches of its milk products produced in January are the subject of product recall.
The BFAD said it is now in the process of collecting samples of Mengnui and Yili milk brands to check if these were laced with melamine.
“Some are still in the market. There’s possibility so I send some inspectors around. Actually nationwide they are now trying to collect samples of milk powder specially those manufactured in China," said Prof. Leticia Barbara Gutierrez, BFAD Director.
“We are collecting liquid milk products and we plan to have it tested in our laboratory to check for the presence of melamine," said Gutierrez. - GMANews.TV
Late night newscast Saksi reported that a GMA Network news team found Mengniu and Yili products in some malls in Metro Manila.
The report contradicted the Bureau of Food and Drugs statement that milk products from Mengniu and Yili are not sold in the Philippines.
China's quality watchdog, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, reported that tests show nearly 10 percent of samples taken from Mengniu and Yili contained melamine. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also shows melamine contamination.
Melamine is a toxic industrial chemical that can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. It has no nutritional value but is high in nitrogen, making products with it appear higher in protein. Suppliers trying to cut costs are believed to have added it to watered-down milk to cover up the resulting protein deficiency.
In another development, the Associated Press reported that China's tainted milk crisis widened Friday after tests found the melamine in liquid milk produced by three of the country's leading dairy companies, the quality watchdog said.
The crisis was initially thought to have been confined to tainted milk powder. But about 10 percent of liquid milk samples taken from Mengniu Dairy Group Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co. contained melamine, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also showed contamination.
A GMA News team bought several tetrapacks of Mengnui’s brand “Monmilk" from some malls in Quezon City and Divisoria district in Manila.
Meanwhile, reporter Mark Salazar visited Mengnui's Web site and learned that the company’s dairy products have reached Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
GMA News tried to reach Mengnui officials in Hong Kong for comment but they were not available.
The news report said the GMA News team wants to know if Mengnui products that have been sold in the Philippines are included in the product recall issued Wednesday.
In its official statement published by the Associated Press, Mengnui clarified that only three batches of its milk products produced in January are the subject of product recall.
The BFAD said it is now in the process of collecting samples of Mengnui and Yili milk brands to check if these were laced with melamine.
“Some are still in the market. There’s possibility so I send some inspectors around. Actually nationwide they are now trying to collect samples of milk powder specially those manufactured in China," said Prof. Leticia Barbara Gutierrez, BFAD Director.
“We are collecting liquid milk products and we plan to have it tested in our laboratory to check for the presence of melamine," said Gutierrez. - GMANews.TV
