Melamine Controversy in Chinese Foods

The European Union members disclosed that all products imported from China which contained more than 15% powdered milk will undergo the strict series of test before it will be allowed to be sold in public. Milk is not the only product which has been found tainted with high level of Melamine, Koala cookies made by Lotte China Foods had tested with 24 times the safety limit of melamine, reported by Macau Health Bureau. Cadbury chocolates, a British brand which has a factory operating in Beijing, had been recalled in Australia after preliminary test results show traces of melamine, but it was emphasized that only Cadbury made in China which had been tested with melamine, this does not include other global products of Cadbury. Lipton brand milk tea powder and Lipton Green milk tea had been recalled by its distributor, Unilever Hong kong, after it was found containing melamine. Chocolates giants M&M and Snickers had already been reported containing similar traces of the said chemical. Chinese authorities also investigated Bright food Group Company, manufacturers of white rabbit candy because of its reported melamine contaminations, the product already recalled in Great Britain, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia and the Philippines.

Alarmed with the melamine debacle, food companies around the globe rushed to check their product ingredients and set precautionary measures for consumers’ safety. Last Saturday, September 27, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced during the World Economic Forum that the Chinese government will take initiatives to improve their Food and Safety standard and bring back the confidence and the global consumers’ trust for Chinese products.

Two United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, issued a joint statement expressing concern about the crisis.

“Whilst any attempt to deceive the public in the area of food production and marketing is unacceptable, deliberate contamination of foods intended for consumption by vulnerable infants and young children is particularly deplorable,” the statement said.

“We also expect that following the investigation and in the context of the Chinese government’s increasing attention to food safety, better regulation of foods for infants and young children will be enforced,” the U.N. statement said.

This ultimately terrifying food scandal that hit the world market today is somewhat alarming that consumers around the world feared their health safety from instant foods in the market. International officials assured the public that this incident is far from terrorism sabotage-the so called chemical warfare-and only the case of irresponsible business greediness, hungry for huge profits. The World Health organization urged the public to take precautionary measures in buying foods.

This is somehow a great learning lesson to everybody. Be vigilant in choosing what you buy, especially foods in the market, read the label and its ingredients, know where it came from and if possible, check its contents, as an old adage goes: “it is better safe than sorry.”