By Rommel C. Lontayao and Anthony Vargas
The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) said Wednesday it found a Chinese-manufacture d biscuit positive of melamine contamination.
Declared containing the chemical melamine is Lotte Strawberry Snack Koala Biscuit, which joined other Chinese products—Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk, Mengniu Original Drink Milk, and Jolly Cow Slender Low Fat
Milk—in the BFAD ban list.
The bureau, meanwhile, cleared 34 other products that were found negative of melamine contamination.
The "cleared" list includes the fourth batch of products tested by the bureau for possible contamination of melamine; a chemical used in making plastics and is high in nitrogen that elevates protein levels in
milk tests.
The Department of Health suggested that flour, tofu and other dairy products should also undergo BFAD testing for possible melamine contamination, but milk and milk-based goods were prioritized fortesting.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs gave assurances Wednesday that it would not release goods suspected to be contaminated with toxic chemicals.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales issued this assurance as the National Meat and Inspection Service (NMIS) announced that it would be testing for toxic chemicals all incoming imported canned goods.
The Customs chief said importation of canned goods is regulated, and needs certification from concerned government agencies such as the national meat agency and the Bureau of Animal Industry.
"As far as NMIS is concerned, they will not issue certificate of product registration if they [canned meat] are not safe from human consumption, " Morales said.