ID :
22288
Thu, 10/02/2008 - 09:03
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/22288
The shortlink copeid
No locally sold baby formula tainted with harmful chemical: gov't
SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- No domestically sold baby formula has been found to contain the industrial chemical that has so far killed four infants in China, the government said Thursday.
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it checked all 11
baby formulas that used imported lactoferrin protein from New Zealand, but found
no traces of the harmful chemical melamine.
Lactoferrin is commonly used in baby formulas, powdered milk, baby food and
dietary supplements. It is expensive and only used in very small amounts as an
additive to strengthen the immune system.
The confirmation follows a report by the Korea Food and Drug Administration
(KFDA) late Wednesday that said minute traces of melamine (1.9-3.3 parts per
million) were found in lactoferrin imported from New Zeland-based Tatua
Cooperative Dairy Co. But the health agency said that melamine was not detected
in the milk products themselves.
The ministry said that it is in the process of checking all 642 milk-based
products sold in the country. It reported that of the 125 checked so far, none
have tested positive for melamine. Among those that passed the screening process
are 34 brands of baby formula.
"As of Wednesday, companies have been ordered not to use lactoferrin made by
Tatua, with detailed tests underway for all products made with the ingredient,"
an official said. He added that state laboratories are in the process of speeding
up tests on the remaining dairy-based products to protect consumers from harmful
chemicals.
Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical widely used to make kitchen utensils that
can pose serious health risks if ingested in large quantities. If added to
dairy-based foods, the nitrogen can artificially increase protein levels,
translating into higher profits for the manufacturer.
China, which has been rocked by the melamine scare, reported several deaths
related to the tainted baby formula, while 54,000 others were hospitalized for
kidney stones or other illnesses after ingesting the chemical.
Pasteur, a subsidiary of Korea Yakult Co., said that it used imported lactoferrin
from New Zealand, with other companies claiming they used milk ingredients bought
from Finland and the Netherlands.
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it checked all 11
baby formulas that used imported lactoferrin protein from New Zealand, but found
no traces of the harmful chemical melamine.
Lactoferrin is commonly used in baby formulas, powdered milk, baby food and
dietary supplements. It is expensive and only used in very small amounts as an
additive to strengthen the immune system.
The confirmation follows a report by the Korea Food and Drug Administration
(KFDA) late Wednesday that said minute traces of melamine (1.9-3.3 parts per
million) were found in lactoferrin imported from New Zeland-based Tatua
Cooperative Dairy Co. But the health agency said that melamine was not detected
in the milk products themselves.
The ministry said that it is in the process of checking all 642 milk-based
products sold in the country. It reported that of the 125 checked so far, none
have tested positive for melamine. Among those that passed the screening process
are 34 brands of baby formula.
"As of Wednesday, companies have been ordered not to use lactoferrin made by
Tatua, with detailed tests underway for all products made with the ingredient,"
an official said. He added that state laboratories are in the process of speeding
up tests on the remaining dairy-based products to protect consumers from harmful
chemicals.
Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical widely used to make kitchen utensils that
can pose serious health risks if ingested in large quantities. If added to
dairy-based foods, the nitrogen can artificially increase protein levels,
translating into higher profits for the manufacturer.
China, which has been rocked by the melamine scare, reported several deaths
related to the tainted baby formula, while 54,000 others were hospitalized for
kidney stones or other illnesses after ingesting the chemical.
Pasteur, a subsidiary of Korea Yakult Co., said that it used imported lactoferrin
from New Zealand, with other companies claiming they used milk ingredients bought
from Finland and the Netherlands.
