Report by The Sun Daily
Health Ministry: Excessive melamine found in White Rabbit Creamy Candy
Giam Say Khoon
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 06, 2008): The White Rabbit Creamy Candy seized for tests by the Health Ministry recently has been found to contain melamine exceeding the country's standard of 2.5 parts per million for adults and 1 part per million for children.
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the candy, a product imported from China, was found to contain 135ppm of melamine.
He said the state health departments, the importer of the candy and retailers have been told to destroy the product.
"We will take action against those who fail to comply with the warning under the Food Act," he told reporters after visiting the National Health Laboratory here.
Liow said the cheese powder used by Pizza Hut Taiwan had been tested to be melamine negative as the cheese was made in New Zealand and the locally-produced creamer, one of the ingredients used to make the cheese powder, was tested negative.
He said until today, the ministry has sealed a total of 2,719 suspected items worth RM683,703.88 and collected a total of 775 food products for testing.
"We have tested 64 products and are all within the melamine standard approved by the ministry," he said.
Liow also announced that the ministry had asked its National Health Laboratory, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Malaya to help the Chemistry Department conduct melamine test on the food products seized.
"Each test will take two days to complete and I am very satisfied with the commitment of our staff in testing the products. We are trying to set up more laboratories in Johor, Ipoh and Kota Kinabalu to test suspected products."
Liow said vegetables and fruits imported from China are still held at level four alert following news reports from Korea on Friday (Oct 4) that they might also be melamine contaminated.
He said although the vegetables and fruits are at level four alert, they are still allowed to be sold in the market and if they are tested positive for melamine, the supply will be immediately stopped. Dairy products placed at level five alert are sealed until a test is conducted.
For more information on melamine, the ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division can be contacted at 03-88833655/88833503/88833652/88833500 from 8am
to 9pm daily or visit http://fsq.moh.gov.my.
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Report By New Straits Times
2008/10/06
White Rabbit confectionery tests positive for melamine
The Health Ministry has directed that White Rabbit Creamer Candy and Ego White Rabbit Creamy Candy be removed from the shelf and destroyed after tests found that they are melamine-positive.
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said laboratory tests showed that the candies contained melamine above the standard or 135 parts per million (ppm).
“Supermarkets have been directed to remove the products from the market. State Health Departments have been directed to destroy them to safeguard consumers.
“Offenders can be prosecuted under the Food Act 1983,” he told reporters after visiting the Sungai Buluh public health laboratory here today.
Liow said laboratories would take two days to analyse each product sent for melamine tests.
Sixty-four food samples had been taken and analysed by laboratories for melamine since Sept 15. A total of 2,719 food items comprising 775 products had been seized.
The samples were analysed by laboratories at the Chmistry Department, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and the Health Ministry.
The health ministry had also sought help from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Malaya (UM) and laboratories in Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu aimed at speeding up tests.
Liow said tests on ’Cheese Packets’ made from creamer and cheese powder imported from New Zealand found that it was free from melamine.
“The creamer used in making 3-in-1 instant coffee and instant cereal had been reported tainted by several websites after Pizza Hut Taiwan found melamine at 70 ppm in ’Cheese Packets.”
On media reports from South Korea that vegetables from China could be tainted with melamine, Liow said the health ministry was monitoring agriculture produce from China.
Among the 64 food products analysed and found to comply with melamine standard are Chocolate Coated Wafer (Passion), Oreo White Chocolate Wafer Stick (Kraft), Mini Cornetto Chocomint and Tiramisu Flavoured (Wall’S), Moo Soft Cookie Sandwich (Wall’s), 123 Honey Powder Milk (Dutch Lady), Strawberry Flavoured Milk (Dutch Lady).
Baby Bites Carrot (Take One), Mini Poppers Strawberry and Vanilla Flavoured (Wall’s), Full Cream Powder Milk (Dailylac), Yogurt Jelly (Strong), Milk Chocolate (M&M), Candy (Kong Chui), Menthos Yogurt and Chocolate Eggs Rolls.
