Alert on Peanut Butter

As reported in Star Online, Government has placed all peanut butter from the United States on Level 5 alert following several salmonella-linked deaths there. Under Level 5, stringent tests would be carried out first to determine if the product are safe for consumption.

US authorities on Friday said seven people had died from a nationwide outbreak of salmonella associated with tainted peanut butter and paste sourced to the Peanut Corporation of America’s (PCA) plant in Blakely, Georgia. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the bacterial strain as Salmonella Typhimurium.

Another 10 US firms Friday recalled products which use PCA peanut butter or paste -- bringing to roughly 360 the number of products affected -- as it emerged that the plant at the centre of the probe laid off most of its roughly 50 workers, US papers said.

The recalled products range from snack bars to crackers and pre-packaged meals and even pet food. But products containing peanuts not sourced from the PCA plant are deemed safe.

Companies that recently added foods to the FDA’s recall list include:

• Ready Pac Foods, Inc.: Ready Pac Cool Cuts Celery with Peanut Butter; Trader Joe’s Celery with Peanut Butter; Eating Right Apples with Peanut Butter; Eating Right Celery with Peanut Butter.
  
• NutriSystem Inc: Various lot codes of NutriSystem-branded Peanut Butter Granola Bars 1.41 ounces or 40 grams.
  
• Premier Nutrition: Select TWISTED and TITAN branded nutrition bars that contain peanut butter. This recall includes Vanilla, Chocolate and Peanut Butter varieties of the TWISTED bar, as well as TWISTED bar variety packs in 15 and 24 count. Also TITAN bars, Chocolate Peanut Crunch variety.
• Boca Grande Foods Inc. of Duluth, Ga., is recalling POCO PAC and GRANDE GOURMET peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly combination products.
  
• Dinners Ready of Meridian, ID is recalling the Asian Marinated Flank Steak with Sesame Vegetable Stir Fry, Indonesian Chicken with Coconut Rice, and Chicken Satay & Bangkok Peanut Sauce with Jasmine Rice meals prepared from their November & December menus. The marinades used for the protein portions of the meals were made using peanut butter. The recall applies only to the protein portion that comes as part of the packaged dinners and not to the side dish or Bangkok Peanut sauce accompanying the meals.
• Blanton’s Candies of Sweetwater, TN: Approximately 1,400 pounds of Blanton’s Peanut Butter Sticks packaged in 8 ounce cellophane bags.
• Weis Markets: Two private label peanut butter sandwich crackers it sells under its Weis Quality label: Weis Quality (WQ) Cheese Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, 11-ounce (UPC 41497-56442) and Weis Quality Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers 11-ounce (UPC 41497-56443).
  

Banned China food products

In today news headline, our Health Ministry has banned food products worth RM3.28mil from China due to the presence of melamine-tainted additive, ammonium bicarbonate, a raising agent.

This will have a grave effects on the upcoming Chinese New Year which is just less then three months away. I just can imagine the various CNY a 'must have' or symbolic festival items could in jeopardy such as the Mandarin oranges, dried meat, melon and sunflower seeds, niangao, etc.

Thanks to melamine, next year CNY will be sure different if not less 'festive'. But I am sure we Chinese will able to find ways to compensate that 'lack' with other means. Important is not the items or foods (though it's synonymous with everything Chinese do), but the kinship and fellowship we cherish with our loves one, friends and relatives.

Yesterday was milk then cookies now Eggs!

Melamine in Chinese Eggs! There seems to be no end to the melamine contamination crisis in the food found at China lately. What thought to be only on milk formula now have let to massive food safety concern. Hong Kong authorities take no less concern with latest afford even to test China meat. So what next?

Excessive levels of the industrial chemical melamine in Chinese eggs might be traced to feed given to chickens, the Hong Kong government said late Saturday. The government said in a statement it found 4.7 parts per million of melamine in the eggs produced by a division of China's Dalian Hanwei Enterprise Group based in the northeastern port city Dalian. The legal limit of melamine in Hong Kong is 2.5 ppm. Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health said the melamine may have come from feed given to the chickens that laid the eggs. The new results have prompted officials to expand food testing to meat imports from China.

In an earlier egg-related food safety scare, the banned cancer-causing industrial dye, Sudan Red, was used to color egg yolks.

Click here to view the HK Centre of Food Safety test result.

Munchy gives reassurance

On 18 Oct, Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety announced that two Munchy's products was found unsatisfactory with excessive levels of melamine.

1) Munchy’s Mini Crackers with Peanut Butter (net weight: 45g, expiry date: 15.7.2009). The level of melamine detected was 5.4ppm.

2) Munchy’s Mini Crackers with Cheese Cream (net weight: 45g, expiry date: 15.7.2009). The level of melamine detected was 3.8ppm.
Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned products is 2.5ppm.

Yesterday, Munchy Food Industries has reiterated that none of its products contain any dairy-based ingredients from China as it only uses those from Australia and France, its chief executive officer C.K. Tan said on Sunday. “We are co-operating with the Health Ministry in Malaysia, which is conducting tests on our product range,” said Tan, adding that the company’s products were previously tested and cleared by independent certification agencies.

Click here to view HK Centre for Food Safety test result/report

The Rabbits are back

The White Rabbit creamy candies are back in China.

A total of 1,027 tonnes of White Rabbit creamy candies have been cleared of melamine by city authorities and are available domestically and worldwide again from 16 Oct. The producer of China's iconic White Rabbit milk candy has put on green label on the candy's packing to show the product is free of melamine, three weeks after a sales halt amid the wide-spread tainted milk scandal. The candy taking on a new look began its return to market on Wednesday, as the products had passed Shanghai quality supervision administration tests. The melamine-free candy would be supplied first to the Shanghai market, where the company is located, and then to other parts of China and then foreign countries.

I still have my reservation on the candies. Anyhow staying away from sugary stuff is beneficial in long terms for our kids and ourselves alike.

Malaysia biscuits recalled

Khong Guan and Khian Guan brand biscuits have been found to contain excessive levels of melamine.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said 18 out of the 47 products produced by the two manufacturers contained more than the permissible level of melamine, which is 2.5mg/kg or 2.5 parts per million (ppm). Manufacturers had been instructed to recall all 18 biscuit products from the market and further requested that they voluntarily recall the rest of the products (the remaining 29).

The ministry had traced the source of the melamine to ammonium bicarbonate, the leveling agent used. The ammonium bicarbonate used by both manufacturers was from China. As such, the import of ammonium bicarbonate from China was banned, placing the substance under Level 6 Examination (Auto Rejection), while ammonium bicarbonate from other countries is placed under Level 4 Examination (Surveillance Examination).

Check at Khong Guan website for the list of the products.

Taro biscuit to be withdrawn

The Health Ministry has ordered Taro brand biscuit produced by Bairong to be withdrawn from the market with immediate effect after tests showed it contained melamine above the permissible level.

The ministry’s food quality and safety division director, Noraini Mohd Othman, said in a statement yesterday the product contained above the 75ppm (parts per million) level of melamine that is permitted.

The statement added that 12 products analysed by the division were found to meet the ministry’s standard for melamine content.

They are Fruit Jelly Stick (Motion), Genuine Pearl Jelly (Tian Tian), Lobster Peanut Crisp (Cap Layang), 888 (Egg & Milk Filling) (Vigor 888), Rice Crackers (Wang Wang), Biscuit Sticks (Four Seas). Mini Poppers Chocolate Flavoured (Walls), White Coffee 3in1 (Dali Coffee Beverage), Apple Sandwich Biscuits (Bairong), Colourfull Party (Cherry & Apple Biscuits) (Bairong), Almond Cakes (Fu Die Lai) and Curtes Chocolate (Giff).

Alert on Lipton milk tea powder

Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety (CFS) was informed by Unilever Hong Kong Limited on September 30 that the company would recall four batches of Lipton milk tea powder. According to the company, it has identified melamine through internal quality checks.

The affected products are:

　　Lipton Milk Tea Powder Original (17g x 20 sachets) - Best Before Date: 17112009
　　Lipton Milk Tea Powder Gold (18.5g x 10 sachets) –Best Before Date: 17112009
　　Lipton Milk Tea Powder Gold (18.5g x 20 sachets) - Best Before Date: 18112009
　　Lipton Milk Tea Powder Gold (18.5g x 20 sachets) - Best Before Date: 19112009

Click here for detail press release by HK CFS.

British candy maker Cadbury has recalled 11 types of its Chinese-made chocolate as a precaution, the Hong Kong government said, becoming the latest foreign company affected by China's tainted milk scandal.

Cadbury Asia Pacific told the Hong Kong government's Center for Food Safety the chocolates were made in Cadbury's factory in the Chinese capital Beijing, the Hong Kong government said in a statement. It was not immediately clear if tests found the industrial chemical melamine in the products.

The recalled products included:
Cadbury Dark Chocette 45g
Cadbury Dark Chocette 80g
Cadbury Eclairs 180g
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate 150g Pumpkin
Cadbury Dark Chocolate 40g
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bulk Pack 5kg
Cadbury Dark Chocolate Bulk Pack 5kg
Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut Chocolate Bulk Pack 5kg
Cadbury Dairy Milk Cookies Chocolate Bulk Pack 5kg
Cadbury Hazelnut Praline Chocolate 312g (2008 Chinese New Year)
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate 300g (2008 Chinese New Year)

Click here to see the list of unsatisfactory testing of melamine on milk products released by Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety.

Heinz Recalls One Batch of Baby Food

Heinz is taking the precautionary measure of recalling one batch (270 cases of only one variety) of baby food in Hong Kong because of trace levels (1.6mg/kg) of melamine. This contrasts to levels of 2500mg/kg found in adulterated milk formula products in China. After extensive testing, all other Heinz varieties were found to be melamine free. This recall is being initiated in conjunction with the Hong Kong authorities.

The precautionary action follows new legislation in Hong Kong that sets a limit for Melamine for children under 36 months at 1mg/kg.

All other Heinz varieties were found to be free of melamine following widespread testing. Only one Heinz variety is affected with trace levels and is being recalled as a precautionary measure. This variety represents less than one percent of Heinz’s baby food sales in Hong Kong. Heinz is co-operating with the Hong Kong authorities. The product details are:

• Heinz Intelligence Many Many Vegetable Cereal with Product Bar Code: 6901642888480.

No other Heinz products are affected and Heinz wishes to assure consumers of the safety of its products.

Click here to view Heinz's detail notice

HONG KONG : The Hong Kong government said on Friday that it has found the toxic chemical melamine in Heinz baby cereal and in rice crackers.

Authorities here said they had ordered a recall of the products and would prosecute the companies involved if there was sufficient evidence. The two products concerned are Heinz DHA+AA Vegetable Formula Cereal and Silang House of Steamed Potato Wasabi Cracker.

The latest test results came after a fifth child fell ill in Hong Kong with kidney stones after drinking tainted Chinese milk.

Click here to have a cross check from Hong Kong Centre of Food Safety's finding.

Latest list of milk products deem safe

Malaysia's Ministry of Health latest update as of 25 Sept on the list of dairy products or products containing dairy ingredients not affected by melamine contamination.

Click here for the details information.

List of milk products not affected in Malaysia

Press release by Malaysia Ministry of Health on 24 Sept pertaining to the list of milk products not affected by melamine contamination. The are:

1. Mead Johnson
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia, New Zealand, United States and Europe)
2. Dumex
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia and New Zealand)
3. Nestle
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia, New Zealand, United States and Europe)
4. Fonterra Brands
(Milk ingredient sourced New Zealand)
5. Kilang Makanan Mamee
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia)
6. Dutch Lady
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Netherlands)
7. Ace Canning Corporation
(Milk ingredient sourced from New Zealand)
8. Maestro Swiss Food Sdn Bhd
(Milk ingredient not sourced from China)
9. Wyeth Malaysia
(Milk ingredient not sourced from China)
10. Malaysia Milk Sdn Bhd / Cotra Enterprise Sdn Bhd
(Milk ingredient sourced from Australia and New Zealand)
11. GlaxoSmithKline
(Milk ingredient sourced from UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand)

Click here to download the full details.

More milks products found tainted by Singapore

As of 24 September 2008, the AVA has detected melamine in an additional 5 products imported from China. Two are flavoured milk and three are confectioneries containing milk powder as an ingredient. They are :

Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk

Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk


Silang - House of Steamed Potato - Potato Cracker


徐 福 记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Butter Corn Flavour


徐 福 记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Cheese Flavour

Click here to download AVA full press release

Mars press release

Mars Incorporated who owned M & M, Snickers, Mars, Dove, Twix and Skittles chocolate candies press release on 23 Sept 2008.

TO OUR VALUED CONSUMERS AND CUSTOMERS IN ASIA

Mars has been following with great concern the latest crisis affecting the dairy industry in China. We offer our sympathies to the individuals and families affected by these unfortunate events.

Mars China is committed to the highest standards of quality and safety and all of its chocolate and confectionery products are manufactured and tested through a series of strict internal processes, based on recognized international standards. In fact, our stringent quality control systems in place in our factories in China are essentially the same as those employed by Mars in any other part of the world.

Mars China does not source any milk powder or other ingredients for any of its products from any company which has been found to be selling melamine-contaminated dairy products. Just last week, AQSIQ (the Chinese food safety watchdog) tested product samples of Mars China’s milk powder suppliers and found them to be free of melamine.

We are confident that none of our chocolate or confectionery products made in China include any dairy ingredients adulterated with melamine.

Yet another contaminated candy

In searching for more info on the on-going milk products food safety, I found another candy contaminated.

The California's Department of Public Health had issued a warning that their recent analysis found the Ego Hao Jin Bang candy to be contaminated with traces of lead. As a precautionary measure, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has instructed the importers and retailers to remove the implicated products from sale immediately.

Affected milk products found tainted in Singapore

The following are the list of milk or milk products from China imported into Singapore that are found to be contaminated with melamine (as at 22 Sep 08) reported by Singapore Agri-Food and Veterinary.

“White Rabbit Creamy Candy” (大白兔奶糖)

“Dutch Lady” brand of strawberry flavoured milk (manufactured in China)

Yili Brand" Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection

Fonterra China recall Anmum Materna

On Sept 16, Fonterra have release statement on their milk formula products at China in the concern of the tainted baby formula scandal. As of today more than 6,200 infants across the country developed kidney stones after drinking Sanlu's baby formula which was tainted by melamine, a chemical believed to help increase the protein content in the milk. Three babies have died. (read previous post: Tainted milk formula at China)

Fonterra China statement.
Fonterra China today announced a voluntary recall of one batch of prenatal milk sold in China under the ANMUM Materna brand name.

This particular batch had been manufactured and distributed under licence by San Lu using what we believe to be contaminated local raw milk. A company spokesman said this issue applies to the one batch of ANMUM Materna which was distributed in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). None of the batch in question was exported out of China.

All other ANMUM and ANLENE products in the market have been produced using only 100% fully imported milk from New Zealand and are free from any possibility of contamination with melamine from locally sourced milk, and adhere to the strictest New Zealand and international standards. Fonterra China said the stock was being recalled because consumer safety was the company’s utmost concern.

Further detail please read CNN.com