BFAD to intensify monitoring during Christmas

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) ended its testing of milk and milk-based products for melamine, but will intensify its market monitoring during the Christmas season. BFAD director Leticia Gutierrez said Monday the recent melamine scare will be the main motivation for agents to intensify their monitoring of markets for at least six banned products. "Routine ang ating market monitoring. Sa pangyayaring ito siguro lalo kaming maghihigpit sa mga ganyan. Nationwide ito, umiikot sila, nagkokolekta ng sample ng produkto under our jurisdiction (We will intensify our routine market monitoring. We will be stricter in monitoring now. This will be nationwide, our personnel will collect samples of products under our jurisdiction)," she said in an interview on dzBB radio. Earlier, the BFAD found more than 100 milk and milk-based products to be melamine-free, but confirmed melamine content in six products. These include Lotte Strawberry Snack Koala Biscuit, JollyCow Slender High Calcium Low Fat Milk (more calcium & Vitamin D) 1 Liter, Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk, Mengniu Drink, Lotte B+W Koala biscuit and Lotte Chocolate snack Koala Biscuit. Gutierrez said the products found positive for melamine should be barred entry. She also said her office is coordinating with the Bureau of Customs to bar the entry of such products. On the other hand, she said the BFAD will coordinate with the Agriculture department and the Bureau of Animal Industries to test eggs from China. "Nag-offer ang BFAD na mag-test kami, tutulong kami sa pag-test ng itlog galing China kung may nakapasok (We offered to test eggs from China if these managed to enter the Philippines)," she said. - GMANews.TV