Thailand Seizes 60 Tonnes Of Milk Powder From China

[george]

Thailand seizes 60 tonnes of milk powder from China

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities have seized 60 tonnes of dried milk powder imported from China at a private port in Samut Prakan province, pending laboratory analysis of the products for possible contamination with the industrial chemical melamine.

Deputy Public Health Minister Vicharn Minchainant and Secretary-General Dr. Chatree Banchuen of the Ministry of Public Health jointly announced that the powder belonged to the Dutch Mill Company and that the authorities had already taken samples for testing.

China's milk scandal came to light earlier this month when the industrial chemical melamine was reportedly found in milk powder there, and was linked to kidney stones in children. Contamination has since found in liquid milk, yogurt and other products made with milk, including some popular brands of milk-based candies.

Four deaths have been blamed on the melamine-tainted milk in China and some 55,000 children have developed kidney stones or other illnesses after consuming contaminated baby formula.

Mr. Vicharn said that the ministry has continued to sample 97 dairy products imported from China since September 19. Of the 34 samples on which testing is already complete, two samples were found to be contaminated with malamine.

The two tainted products were milk powder used as raw material by the Dutch Mill Company, contaminated with malamine at 0.38 and 0.55 milligrammes per kilogramme, which did not exceed the legal limit, according to the minister. The authorities were urgently examining the remaining samples, Mr. Vicharn said.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that M&M's chocolate and other snacks made in China are safe for consumption.

The FDA will issue certifications to the importers -- PR Impact Co., Diethelm Co., Mars Thailand, and Sino-Pacific Trading (Thailand), Co. -- to allow the products to return to the shelves, the Food and Drug Administration secretary-general said.

The agency earlier pulled six dairy products from store shelves nationwide on Thursday in order to examine possible contamination by the industrial chemical melamine.

The minister added that the Public Health Ministry's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is within days of issuing stringent measures for milk and milk products in which the chemical melamine would be allowed not in excess of one milligramme per kilogramme.

The FDA also set limits for other foods which might contain melamine with not more than 2.5 milligrammes per kilogramme.

The new regulation will be submitted to the Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung for his approval anFDA froze 60tonne milk powder shipment from China

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confiscated 60 tonnes of milk powder imported by Dutch Mill and will study it for melamine contamination, a top health official said yesterday.

Satis Tresatayawed, director of the FDA's Import and Export Inspection Division, said the agency had been informed of the 60tonne import and that it was sending samples of the milk powder to the Medical Science Department for tests. If the powder is found to be contaminated, the FDA will reject the import permit for this shipment.

Dutch Mill has had to import milk powder from China for three years now, because drought caused supplies from New Zealand to dry up, Satis said.

The move follows reports from China that at least 22 dairy manufacturers were found to be using melamine in their products. More than 54,000 infants and children are suffering from urinary problems caused by the consumption of melaminetainted milk, which can potentially cause renal failure.

Earlier, the FDA found melamine in the 20 tonnes of milk powder Dutch Mill had imported from China. However, the company's managing director, Thirayuth Chaisawangwong, said they would keep the 20 tonnes in storage until the FDA confirms the product's quality.

Besides distributing milk products within Thailand, Dutch Mill also exports to Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam

In a separate random test on 97 milk and milkbased products, the FDA yesterday revealed that only 32 items had tested negative, while two contained very low levels of melamine and were therefore safe for consumption. FDA chief Dr Chatree Banchuen explained that the two items only contained 0.38 and 0.55 milligrams of melamine per kilogram respectively, well below the 1mg international safety standard.

The 34 products deemed safe are milk powder, pasteurised milk, lowfat and skimmed milk, flavoured pasteurised milk, yoghurt, wafer, nougat, milk chocolate, candy and ice cream.

These products are manufactured or distributed by Dutch Mill, Unilever, Diethelm, Mars Thailand, SinoPacific Trading and an unnamed company located on VibhavadeeRangsit Road.

Meanwhile, Kraft Foods Asia Pacific Service's general manager, Jiri Hejl, has confirmed that all Kraft products are free of melamine and safe for consumption.

Deputy Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant said Thailand mostly imported milk powder from Australia, New Zealand and Europe to use as raw materials for milkbased products, which were all safe. FDA is planning to issue regulations that allow no more than 1mg per kilogram of melamine in milk powder and no more than 2.5mg of melamine in milkbased products. Anybody caught abusing the law would face six months to two years in jail and be fined Bt5,000 to Bt20,000.

-- The Nation 2008-09-30

[kurgen]

Good to see that the government are doing somthing

and an unnamed company located on VibhavadeeRangsit Road.

hmmmm

[Scott]

I am absolutely astonished that more isn't being done about this situation. I wonder how long this has been going on before it came to anyone's attention. The Chinese are a SICK country, with a SICK population and if they want to poison themselves, then so be it. I just don't know why they have to export their poison and stupidity.

As for the situation here. I am sure nothing is going to returned, rejected or anything else. It will wait until the whole mess dies down a little and then all the tainted products will be sold and a few officials will have slightly heavier wallets.

[jayjayjayjay]

I am absolutely astonished that more isn't being done about this situation. I wonder how long this has been going on before it came to anyone's attention. The Chinese are a SICK country, with a SICK population and if they want to poison themselves, then so be it. I just don't know why they have to export their poison and stupidity.

As for the situation here. I am sure nothing is going to returned, rejected or anything else. It will wait until the whole mess dies down a little and then all the tainted products will be sold and a few officials will have slightly heavier wallets.

I left the milk industry 12 years ago after seeing to many shady deals going on! One shipment was know to have been exported out of the Ukraine, ie the Chernobyl area, repackaged in Holland by equally shady middlemen then ended up in Thailand...... Pressing the issue at how disasterous this could be in any population left me with no choice but to leave the company I worked for. Funny that this company is now listed in the article above

PS_ I still don't know if the milk glowed in the dark. Once I left, my children ONLY drank Foremost milk.

[geriatrickid]

2 items concern me;

- Use of the name "Dutch Mill" and,

- The disposal of the seized and recalled products.

The Dutch have a reliable dairy industry and their quality is reliable. So here we have a company borrowing the name "Dutch" which says to me someone is trying to cash in on Dutch quality. It's not right and serves as a caution that consumers must check origin of products.

I extremely disturbed of reports that the Chinese have been using the recalled products as animal feed. This means that the tainted material has not been removed from the food chain and instead will show up again in pork, poultry and fish. I hope that in the event that the material seized by Thailand tests as contaminated that the product is destroyed or removed from entering into the food chain or water table.

[Moruya]

The headline sounds as if a crack team of Thai soldiers skipped through a neighbouring country's border and purloined a few lorry loads of this rather unwanted commidity......

[johna]

The Nation

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung is scheduled to meet the Chinese ambassador to discuss the imports of melamine-contaminated milk and milk-based products.

He said he was afraid the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s report on the contaminated imports would affect Thailand's trade ties with China.

"I did not mean that I am afraid of China, but we [the government] have to be concerned about our commercial relationship, because Thailand trades a lot with China," he said.

So commercial interests before public health

Chalerm has also advised the FDA to issue a press release instead of holding a press conference to explain the situation. He said public declarations of the problem would have an adverse effect on China.

Limit information to the public

He worried that China might think that FDA's action would create trade barrier for its product import to kingdom.

As far as contaminated food products are concerned that's exactly what it should mean

The FDA is also planning to issue regulations that allow no more than 1 milligram per kilogram of melamine in milk powder and no more than 2.5mg of melamine in milk-based products. Anybody caught abusing the law would face six months to two years in jail and be fined Bt5,000 to Bt20,000.

Is there such a thing as a safe level of contamination ?

Melamine has now been found in Dutch Mill and Cadburys products, the number of milk based contaminated products will probably grow, but its the silence from all these companies that worrisome, if their products are safe why are they not saying so

[linglop]

[Naam]

I am absolutely astonished that more isn't being done about this situation. I wonder how long this has been going on before it came to anyone's attention. The Chinese are a SICK country, with a SICK population and if they want to poison themselves, then so be it. I just don't know why they have to export their poison and stupidity.

i just want to know why some sick countries and sick companies are importing chinese poison and stupidity. do you have an answer for that?

[Bagwan]

As for the situation here. I am sure nothing is going to returned, rejected or anything else. It will wait until the whole mess dies down a little and then all the tainted products will be sold and a few officials will have slightly heavier wallets.

The new regulation will be submitted to the Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung for his approval - in which case you can bet the housekeeping money on the above sentiment.

Does this mean that we can expect Mr. Toilet to metamorphose into the Milky Bar Kid?

Edited October 2, 2008 by Bagwan

[PhilHarries]

From the BP.

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yubamrung has sought to downplay the Chinese powdered milk scandal, saying the issue could affect trade ties between Thailand and China.

His position was echoed by deputy secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Narangsan Peerakit yesterday.

The FDA found samples of two of 14 products imported and produced by Dutch Mill Co were tainted, one with 0.38 milligramme of the chemical melamine per kilogramme and the other 0.55mg/kg.

The samples were taken from 22 tonnes of milk powder stored in the firm's warehouse in Nakhon Pathom.

Another 60 tonnes of milk powder imported by the same company has been held up at Samut Prakan port for testing.

Dr Narangsan said the lab results of tests on both shipments will be released by the end of this week.

He refused to comment further on the tainted milk, saying that "the minister's policy is that news reports should not have a negative impact on Chinese products".

How this waste of a human skin could be put in charge of public health is a sad reflection on the methods of government appointments employed by the ruling elite in Thailand.

Naam, in answer to your question I would hazard a guess it is because they are cheap. We all know worldwide the prime goal for producers and distributors of any and all products is profit. The cheaper the source the bigger the profit when the stuff is passed on to the consumer even if it is at a price that undercuts local produce. We, the consumer, are partly to blame for this as we continually demand lower prices often without asking why they are lower.

If you are having a dig at the inflammatory statement that "China is a SICK country.....", well yes even by TV standards that is a pretty stupid, senseless, baseless attempt at a flame.

[Gumballl]

The Nation

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung is scheduled to meet the Chinese ambassador to discuss the imports of melamine-contaminated milk and milk-based products.

He said he was afraid the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s report on the contaminated imports would affect Thailand's trade ties with China.

"I did not mean that I am afraid of China, but we [the government] have to be concerned about our commercial relationship, because Thailand trades a lot with China," he said.

So commercial interests before public health

Chalerm has also advised the FDA to issue a press release instead of holding a press conference to explain the situation. He said public declarations of the problem would have an adverse effect on China.

Limit information to the public

He worried that China might think that FDA's action would create trade barrier for its product import to kingdom.

As far as contaminated food products are concerned that's exactly what it should mean

The FDA is also planning to issue regulations that allow no more than 1 milligram per kilogram of melamine in milk powder and no more than 2.5mg of melamine in milk-based products. Anybody caught abusing the law would face six months to two years in jail and be fined Bt5,000 to Bt20,000.

Is there such a thing as a safe level of contamination ?

Melamine has now been found in Dutch Mill and Cadburys products, the number of milk based contaminated products will probably grow, but its the silence from all these companies that worrisome, if their products are safe why are they not saying so

I personally would love to put my foot up Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's a$$. What an insensitive pr*ck. The safety of the people that entrust gov't officials is paramount to trade profits. Why are Thais so slow to understand this?

The fact that the FDA is planning to issue regulations is scary... don't they already have them??? <deleted>... are Thai gov't agencies always going to act after the fact?

[slapout]

Chalerm involved in and speaking out on another subject, of which he is about as qualfied as a 1 legged man in a a.. kicking contest. Maybe his next project as Health Minister can be giving guidence to those families with problem children.

[philstone]

I am absolutely astonished that more isn't being done about this situation. I wonder how long this has been going on before it came to anyone's attention. The Chinese are a SICK country, with a SICK population and if they want to poison themselves, then so be it. I just don't know why they have to export their poison and stupidity.

i just want to know why some sick countries and sick companies are importing chinese poison and stupidity. do you have an answer for that?

Its about time these countries buy milk and from United States and not thinking cheaper is better.

This will happen for yes to come. Buy farm goods from the country that feed Europe after World War II

How soon the fools forgot.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Poison in Cadbury chocolate is really going to far, is nothing sacred.

[Old Man River]

Melamine has now been found in Dutch Mill and Cadburys products, the number of milk based contaminated products will probably grow, but its the silence from all these companies that worrisome, if their products are safe why are they not saying so

I have started a thread in the Health section of TV where we can all add foods we hear are tainted. For sure, a lot of it will be rumor since the Thai FDA doesn't publish anything worthwhile about this in English. I have linked to a website from the China Journal (Wall St. Journal) that mentions some products, some of which I know are consumed in Thailand, but have not been written about in Thai publications. Maybe they are tainted with melamine and maybe not. For me, I would rather my family err on the side of caution.

Check it out and please let's help each other and put in foods we hear of and/or related websites. It is becoming obvious that we cannot rely on the Thai government for this.

[Gravelrash]

I personally would love to put my foot up Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's a$. What an insensitive pr*ck. The safety of the people that entrust gov't officials is paramount to trade profits. Why are Thais so slow to understand this?

The fact that the FDA is planning to issue regulations is scary... don't they already have them??? <deleted>... are Thai gov't agencies always going to act after the fact?

The FDA will register virtually anything if you pay the price, likewise won't do so for legitimate items if you don't. Apparently a lot of stuff comes in from China "legally" this way. As to why companies would sell dangerous products...money.

[Scott]

I am not trying to flame the country or the people and I am sorry if it sounds that way. But putting an industrial chemical in milk is about as low as you can go. This is the basic food for babies around the world and even if mother's breast feed, it's not possible for all of them to breast feed or feed the full amount of time. Even those that do, the next stop is milk, then candy--now that pretty much puts a huge number of the most vulnerable members of the human race in medical peril.

It should also be remembered this isn't the first case of melamine poisoning from China. It was dog and cat food before and thousands of animals died. A lesson needed to be learned then and it apparently wasn't.

I have a little more understanding for countries (such as Thailand) who might be thinking what they are importing is safe. I do, however, have serious concerns about what will happen to the contaminated products. Will they be disposed of? Will they be quietly mixed with good products so people don't get sick or don't notice?

Unless they are having a huge bonfire, like they do with drugs, I am going to be concerned.

I also find it rather interesting that in the past 6 months we've had 3 people hospitalized for kidney and urinary problems. In the past 10 years, we've had one person who had problems. Maybe just a coincidence, but I wonder.

[ratcatcher]

Chalerm plans to ban sale of alcohol beverage on public holidays

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung Thursday unveiled his plan to ban the sale of alcohol beverage on public holidays.

Chalerm said he had assigned the Disease Control Department to consider invoking the Alcohol Beverage Control Act to issue a directive to ban the sale on public holidays, such as New Year Day, Songkran holidays and religious holidays.

The Nation

Can't someone do anything about this beauty?

์No booze? Drink milk. It's better for you!

[dumball]

I am absolutely astonished that more isn't being done about this situation. I wonder how long this has been going on before it came to anyone's attention. The Chinese are a SICK country, with a SICK population and if they want to poison themselves, then so be it. I just don't know why they have to export their poison and stupidity.

i just want to know why some sick countries and sick companies are importing chinese poison and stupidity. do you have an answer for that?

Its about time these countries buy milk and from United States and not thinking cheaper is better.

This will happen for yes to come. Buy farm goods from the country that feed Europe after World War II

How soon the fools forgot.

The answer is with the consumer , do not purchase ANYTHING in the line of food or edible goods that have ANYTHING to do with China .One cannot always be sure of products because it is not always on the packaging , but read the whole package , any lettering etc with an inference of China , do not put it in your shopping basket .

I thought the United States had cut down on agricultural products , even to the extent of paying farmers NOT to produce , could be mistaken , any one with a few FACTS on this ?

[philstone]

The answer is with the consumer , do not purchase ANYTHING in the line of food or edible goods that have ANYTHING to do with China .One cannot always be sure of products because it is not always on the packaging , but read the whole package , any lettering etc with an inference of China , do not put it in your shopping basket .

I thought the United States had cut down on agricultural products , even to the extent of paying farmers NOT to produce , could be mistaken , any one with a few FACTS on this ?

The USA does not pay milk farmers not to produce for 40 years. The USA want free trade. Check the tax for milk products from America and from China. Milk products are taxes as much as wine.

[linglop]

According to the South China Morning Post a couple of weeks ago, a rather enterprising father discovered that his child was getting sick by consuming Sanlu Baby Milk powder. He changed the brand and the child got better. He then resumed utilising Sanlu milk and the child got sick again.

This was in November 2007 at which time he notified Sanlu there was something wrong with the milk. He also posted a message concerning his discovery on a chinese forum.

Sanlu merely chose to ignore the issue with the results we all know.

Fortunately the New Zealand part owner of Sanlu brought the matter to the attention of China's Government through the two parties' foreign ministry following attempts by local government to squash the news. It was also alleged that the local government threatened to close the factory down in the event that the facts became public.

Such is life in China....

[Thai at Heart]

More interestingly, there are stories that individuals have lodged lawsuits against the company in China. This is something of a legal first in China, and shows that individuals in China are waking up to the fact that they have rights. Moral rights and wrongs in most of the world get blurred when there is a buck to be made, but this is surely one of the worst cases of organised fraud endangering a population ever known. Even worse is that fact that innocent infants are involved. Sanlu deserves to disappear into the history books along with Dow Corning with their breast implants.

What has gone on in China is absolutely abominable, and there will probably be a few death sentences handed down. However, looking at this from a Thai perspective, if Dutch Mill was importing Chinese milk powder, and there has been silence from just about all the other producers in Thailand, one would have to assume that they have been importing too. I don't know what to put on the kids breakfast, but we aren't drinking any milk in our house for the next few weeks until the other manufacturers come out and say that their products are safe.

[Payboy]

does this mean that chinese gymnasts were not just kids, but also drugged with melamine...?

the shock and horror.....

[kmart]

Poison in Cadbury chocolate is really going to far, is nothing sacred.

Its beyond the pale, mate.

Having worked with some Chinese companies though, its not unusual for them to try to get an advantage whatever the stakes. Safety or health comes a distant second behind profit margins.

They also seem unable to produce safe goods in any sort of consistency. I think they have assembly lines in some of the factories over there that actually add child's-throat-sized bits to toys, that are dipped in toxic waste for added measure before boxing and shipping.

[philstone]

Poison in Cadbury chocolate is really going to far, is nothing sacred.

Its beyond the pale, mate.

Having worked with some Chinese companies though, its not unusual for them to try to get an advantage whatever the stakes. Safety or health comes a distant second behind profit margins.

They also seem unable to produce safe goods in any sort of consistency. I think they have assembly lines in some of the factories over there that actually add child's-throat-sized bits to toys, that are dipped in toxic waste for added measure before boxing and shipping.

First Iraq and now China I Known what country is behind this just think about it.

[johna]

Looks like the Taiwanese know who to blame, and Mr Yeh was only in office for a week.

From the BBC

Taiwan's health minister has been admitted to hospital after being allegedly attacked by opposition MPs over the tainted Chinese milk scandal.

Yeh Ching-chuan was pushed around and grabbed by the neck as he tried to leave parliament, according to lawmakers from the governing party.

Hospital staff say he suffered heart palpitations and dizziness.

The opposition, which is angry at the government's response to the milk scandal, denies its MPs attacked him.

Mr Yeh became health minister last week after his predecessor resigned amid accusations that he had been too lax about products from China contaminated with the chemical melamine.

[linglop]

[nikster]

Civilized countries ban all milk imports from China, which is the only right thing to do. But Mr. Happy Toilet isn't going to do this, no doubt under the wise guidance from senior PPP advisors.

Those milk products that contain Melamine "at safe levels" - I will just avoid all Dutch Mill products from now on. I prefer my milk without plastic in it, no matter how "safe" it is. I'd expect Dutch Mill to just destroy the tainted milk powder - seems like a really bad business decision to me that they want to keep using it now.

Edited October 5, 2008 by nikster

[teacherofwoe]

It seems that everything comes from China these days: Electrical items, clothes, poisons, etc. But everything from China is the lowest quality and a waste of money in my opinion as it's guaranteed to break at aroung 12 months (if you're lucky). My personal motto:

Is it made in China? No thanks!