The
government may even seriously consider legal action against the New Zealand
dairy product company Fonterra if any wrongdoing found and has decided to
examine the issue of the contamination of milk powder imported from this company, CeyNews
reported. The government is committed to provide the people with healthy foods
and follows a clear and accurate policy regarding the contaminated dairy food
items and the foods enriched with Whey Protein. The Cabinet has app
roved
appointing a sub-committee to examine the contamination issue and make its
recommendations for future measures. The sub-committee is expected to submit
its report to the next cabinet meeting in two weeks. The government may
consider legal actions, if Fonterra is found to have distributed milk
containing the toxic agrochemical dicyandiamide (DCD).
 |
| Legal action is imminent if Fonterra found wrong doing |
A
special discussion was also held at the Ministry of Mass Media regarding the
advertisements on controversial food items carried out by major advertising
firms.
The
ministry has urged the advertising companies to be ethical in this issue and
self- regulate their advertisements to promote responsible advertising of food
items. Sri
Lanka's Health Ministry last week banned the sales of 39 metric tons of
Fonterra's milk powder in two batches after tests conducted within the country
found traces of DCD in the batches tested. However, the New Zealand diary maker
has disputed Sri Lanka's test results saying that the Industrial Technology
Institute (ITI) which conducted the tests doesn't have the necessary equipment
to conduct an accurate assessment of contaminant presence.
Following
the directive by the Food Advisory Committee of the Health Ministry, Anchor One
Plus (Batch no.107610163) and Anchor Full Cream Milk Powder (batch
no.0605C0883) batches distributed in March have been removed from stores. The
Ministry warned that legal action will be taken against errant traders who try
to sell Fonterra milk powder belonging to those batches on the sly.
Meanwhile, The international reaction to Fonterra's whey contamination crisis
continues to grow, according to overseas reports. A Vietnamese dairy product
firm, Abbott Vietnam, has recalled another 4300 cans of infant formula
following continuing concern over whey concentrate from New Zealand tainted
with botulism-causing spores. The company says it has received information from
the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries that the cans in question,
though not made with the contaminated whey, could have been tainted since they
were packed with the same equipment. Indonesia has decided to ban the
importation of all infant formula products through its Batam port as a
precautionary measure, while it investigates whether products containing whey
protein concentrate have entered the market. Bangladesh has also beefed up
checks at its main seaport to control entry of Fonterra product, although the
Government there doesn't know yet whether any such products are imported.
