menusux, so far I have two and a third person available next week. But I'm not so sure at this point what good it would do us to
break down every news reported product by country, since this is considered proprietary business information and most of the
multinational companies can't tell you where their ingredients came from originally since they don't trace them accurately. With multinational
companies like Fonterra, Kraft, General Mills, Mars, and Nestle being mentioned in various places around the world, I'm kind of at the point where
I'm assuming anything that has any variant of milk could possibly be contaminated.
shadowmice, no one is releasing test results to US consumers on products containing milk or milk powders, as they are in, for example,
the Phillippines through BFAD, or the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety. Personally, if it contains a milk powder ingredient, milk protein ingredient, cheese powder ingredient, lactose powder ingredient, casein, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, or whey powder, I'm tossing it at this point and not buying any more, especially Trick or "Chinese Trouble" candies for kids this Halloween. No processed baked goods either are being bought here. No ice cream or frozen dairy deserts. Only milk from local dairy who confirms local ingredients. I don't know what else to tell you at this point. No pizza. No chocolate (heaven help me). No dairy or non-dairy creamers. No cocoa or cocoa based drinks. No breakfast cereals or breakfast drinks. No processed cookies or crackers. No coffee or tea packaged drinks, or health drinks, or power bars, or nutritional drinks. Reading labels really carefully. And will continue to do this until the government helps by testing or after Christmas at this house. Or permanently if Chinese food imports are not detained, inspected, and tested; or totally banned until reasonable consumer safety measures are in place and operating.
Open to better ideas from anyone.http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/09/27/2008-09-27T123805Z_01_B162168_RTRIDST_0_CHINA-MILK-RECALLS-FACTBOX.htmlIMPORT BANS:
* BANGLADESH: -- Three Chinese powdered milk brands, Sanlu, Suncare and Yashili, banned. Melamine tests to be introduced on
all milk powder imports at Bangladeshi seaports.
* BENIN: -- Bans powered milk products from China.
* BHUTAN: -- Bhutan has banned Chinese milk imports, ranging from chocolates, sweets and cakes to milk tablets.
* BRUNEI: -- All Chinese milk products banned by Health Ministry, even though Brunei does not directly import dairy products from China.
* BURUNDI: -- Banned import, sale of Chinese milk products.
* COLOMBIA: -- Banned import of China-made powdered milk.
* CAMEROON: -- Suspends import and sale of fresh and powdered milk from China.
* EUROPEAN UNION: --
The 27-nation bloc banned baby food containing Chinese milk.
* FRANCE: -- Banned all food items containing Chinese milk as precautionary move.
* GABON: -- Introduced ban at same time as Burundi.
* GHANA: -- Food and Drug Board suspended imports of all milk and milk-based products made in China.
* INDIA: -- Banned import of milk and milk products from China for three months.
* INDONESIA: -- Banned imports of China dairy products.
* IVORY COAST: -- Banned imports of milk products from China.
* MALAYSIA: -- Banned all Chinese milk imports, as well as chocolates, sweets and other foods containing milk.
* MALDIVES: -- Banned Chinese milk products to protect its population of 300,000.
* NEPAL: -- Banned all China milk and milk-based food products as a precautionary measure.
* PAPUA NEW GUINEA: -- Banned China-made milk products.
* PHILIPPINES: -- Banned import and sale of milk products from China, pending investigation of possible contamination.
* SINGAPORE: -- Banned the import and sale of milk products from China on Sept 19 after finding melamine in two China-made
products -- "Dutch Lady" strawberry flavoured milk, and "Yili Brand" dairy fruit bar yoghurt flavoured ice confection.
White Rabbit Creamy Candy pulled from shelves after being found to be contaminated with melamine.
* SOUTH KOREA: -- Banned China-made foods containing powdered milk after imported biscuits test positive for melamine.
* SURINAME: -- Banned milk and dairy products from China, is stepping up inspections on food imported from Southeast Asia.
* TAIWAN: -- All China-made dairy products banned, a milk testing station set up for consumers in Taipei.
* TANZANIA: -- Suspended all China dairy imports, and seized 34 tonnes of China-made milk powder.
* TOGO: -- Suspended import, distribution and sale of all Chinese-origin milk products.
* VIETNAM: -- Banned China milk products. Health officials warned such products may have been sold in remote areas
in the impoverished central region.
Edited to add on Monday, September 29, 2008: *MYANMAR and *LAOS (see reply 556, page 38)
Edited to add on Wednesday, October 1, 2008: *UGANDA (see Reply 619, page 42)
51 54 nations where consumer food safety appears to come first pending further investigation and food safety controls
Edited to add on Friday, October 3, 2008: *URUGUAY
Edited to add on Sunday, October 5, 2008: *IRAN and *CAMBODIA
Bringing to 57 the number of countries concerned about consumer food safety first.
Edited to add on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 *RUSSIA and *LEBANON and *UAE (United Arab Emirates)
Bringing to 60 the number of countries worldwide where food safety comes first
"China has run out of excuses, assurances and defenses. As a giant exporter of food and other products, its attitude toward consumer safety is a disgrace and a global health threat."
