Health department revokes Chinese milk import licenses

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DoH) Wednesday further tightened restrictions on contaminated milk as it revoked all import licenses for Chinese milk. The department also banned the sale of milk products of unknown origin, mostly in repacked powder form. As this developed, the Health department is checking infants hospitalized with kidney ailments to see if they were exposed to contaminated milk products from China, an official said Wednesday. National Epidemiology Center chief Health Undersecretary Eric A. Tayag said Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III ordered the investigation but would not give details so as not to cause a panic. "We will see if they have a history with milk formula feeding and we will trace this back to where the milk formula came from," said the doctor. Mr. Duque asked parents to inform the department immediately if their infants have any kidney problems. Leticia Barbara B. Gutierrez, director of DoH-attached Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), said the ban will focus on milk items. "In the memorandum order, we will only focus on liquid and powdered milk and not the other milk by-products," she said in an interview with reporters. Products undergoing tests include flavored liquid milk and liquid milk for adults. BFAD did not identify the brands and only said they are focusing on Chinese products. Meanwhile, more milk companies have assured the public of their products’ safety. Abbott Philippines, manufacturer of infant milk formula Gain, said in a statement their products are not affected by the melamine scare. Melamine was the substance mixed in infant formula that was identified as the culprit for the illness that has claimed four babies and affected more than 50,000 others in China. There have also been reports of infected infants in Hong Kong. Melamine was mixed with milk to increase the protein content but excessive intake has caused kidney stones among babies. "Abbott infant formulas are made in the United States, New Zealand and Europe and our suppliers do not use milk protein from China," the statement read. Abbott added that all input suppliers undergo a rigorous qualification process and each ingredient is assessed to comply with specifications. In a separate interview, Nestlé Philippines, Inc. said there are global repercussions to the milk scandal. The company, however, declined to say whether they will benefit from the shift in preference away from Chinese-made products. "There is really a global impact of the scandal so we cannot say how much impact it would have for milk producers," said a company official. Nestlé Philippines and Alaska Milk Corp. have earlier claimed their products are safe from melamine. In a related development, the Davao Region has responded to the call against the consumption of China-based milk products. Four milk-based products from China sold in the city’s supermarkets are being tested for possible contamination, a regional regulatory official told local media. Arnold C. Alindada, BFAD regional officer, told a forum his team has sent samples of yogurt, powdered milk, milk in can and repacked milk from four stores to the laboratory in Manila. He said they have yet to identify the importers since the retailers refused to name the suppliers, adding it has been confirmed that the milk products came from China. - BusinessWorld