Milk scare: Checks on retail outlets begin

The Government has started checks on retail outlets all over the country for dairy products produced in China.

It has also started advising retailers to withdraw from sale certain items which were deemed suspicious until it could be confirmed that they were safe to be consumed.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday released a list of dairy products deemed safe and not contaminated with melamine to ease consumer worries.

The list contains over 170 items across 11 brands which consist of milk powder, chocolates, yoghurt and various other dairy products.

According to the ministry’s food quality and safety department director, Noraini Mohd Othman, releasing the list was done to allay the worries consumers may be having.

“We will be preparing two more lists in the days to come. One will list out dairy products from China that are safe to consume and another will be a list of products that are not safe at all,” she said.

Noraini said time was needed to prepare these lists as tests had to be done on the various dairy products, while reiterating that there had been an existing ban on milk and milk powder from China.

In a statement, the ministry also warned all importers or agents importing milk or dairy products from China to stop immediately.

It advised importers and retailers that any remaining stock was to be reported to the nearest district health office.

The statement also added that dairy products were defined as: milk, pasteurised milk, UHT milk, flavoured milk, full cream milk, skim milk, evaporated, condensed milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, yoghurt and ghee.

Consumers are advised to call 03-88833655 to make complaints or for further information.
On Monday, the Government extended its ban on dairy products imported from China to include confectionery which contain milk, chocolate (including white chocolate) and other food which contain milk.

On Friday, Singapore’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority suspended the import of all milk and milk products from China and instructed retailers and importers to recall such products.

Three products were found to contain melamine “ ‘’White Rabbit Creamy Candy’’, ‘’Yili Brand Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt’’ and ‘’Dutch Lady’’ strawberry-flavoured milk.