Melamine: Khong Guan, Khian Guan biscuits recalled

[Ah Hai]

PUTRAJAYA: PUTRAJAYA: Excessive melamine was found in 18 of 47 biscuits produced by the Khong Guan and Khian Guan brands and they have been ordered removed from the shelves immediately.

“We have also requested that they voluntarily recall the rest of the products (the remaining 29),” said Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai

Asked if they had agreed to do so, Liow said: “Yes, they are very responsive. They are all responsible companies.”

The 18 biscuit products were found to have melamine in excess of the permissable 2.5mg/kg or 2.5 parts per million (ppm).

Liow said the Ministry had traced the source of the melamine to ammonium bicarbonate imported by both manufacturers from China.

“Results from our tests found that Khong Guan biscuits contained 33.4ppm while Khian Guan contained 508ppm,” he said.

As such, Liow had banned the import of ammonium bicarbonate from China, placing the substance under Level 6 Examination (Auto Rejection), while ammonium bicarbonate from other countries were placed under Level 4 Examination (Surveilance Examination) under the Food Safety Information of Malaysia (FoSIM).

Excessive melamine was first linked to contaminated dairy products, but Liow said the Ministry would now be more alert and test more products other than those with dairy content due to the ammonium bicarbonate findings.

Ammonium bicarbonate is usually used as a raising agent in biscuit production and is allowed under the Food Rules 1985 but strict action had to be taken to protect the health of consumers, he said.

“All factories that use ammonium bicarbonate from China will have their products tested. We will test all biscuits in the country,” he said.

He said that food with dairy content from China had been placed under Level 6 Examination, and with the latest revelation, all imported biscuits had been placed under Level 4 Examination.

Meanwhile, he said the Ministry is looking into Julie’s Crackers and Mali unsweetened condensed milk, which was reported in the media to contain excessive levels of melamine.

Liow said consumers could contact the Food Services and Quality division at 03-8883 3655/3503/3652/3500.

On Oct 6, White Rabbit Creamy Candy was found to contain more than 50 times the permitted level of melamine and was banned by the ministry.

Related story:
5,800 babies still hospitalised in China
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/16/nation/20081016125216&sec=nation

 

[halsey02]

Wow and the PAP, being so proud of our efficiency didn't detect this!!!!

Efficient doesn't mean they are good!.

 

[tonychat]

I thought biscuit has trans fat? So why eat them?

 

[theblackhole]

what the hell going on now? even my simple biscuits also tainted!!! knn! eat what now? what is safe? and with all the mess here...nnk! golden era!!!

 

[Ah Hai]

Too much melamine found in 18 types of biscuits



Watch the video

PUTRAJAYA: Eighteen types of biscuits bearing the Khong Guan and Khian Guan brands have been found to contain excessive levels of melamine.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the contamination is from the raising agent ammonium bicarbonate from China which was used to produce the biscuits.


Quick action: Sundry shopowner, Tan, said she would remove the biscuits from her shelves even though she has yet to hear from them.

As a result, Liow said, ammonium bicarbonate from China was now banned. Ammonium bicarbonate from other countries would be taken for tests.

“Results from our tests found that the melamine level in the ammonium carbonate used for Khong Guan and Khian Guan biscuits is 33.4ppm and 508ppm respectively,” he told a press conference on Thursday.

The permissible level of melamine is 2.5 parts per million (ppm).

He said 18 out of 47 products had been found with excessive levels of melamine and the manufacturer has been instructed to recall them.

“We have also requested that they voluntarily recall the rest of their products,” he said.

“All factories that use ammonium bicarbonate from China will have their products tested. We will test all biscuits in the country,” he said.

Earlier, the ministry had found Ego White Rabbit Creamy Candy and Taro brand biscuit by Bairong to contain excessive levels of melamine and ordered that the products be withdrawn.

He said the ministry was checking Julie’s Crackers and Mali unsweetened condensed milk which was reported in the media to contain excessive levels of melamine.

Liow said consumers could contact the Food Services and Quality division at 03-8883 3655/3503/3652/3500 for information.

Khong Guan Sdn Bhd and Khian Guan Biscuit Manufacturing Company Sdn Bhd, in a joint statement, said they would fully cooperate with the ministry and would ensure that the products were recalled quickly.

The two companies said they have ceased using ammonium bicarbonate from China and had switched to those sourced from other countries.

“Khian Guan and Khong Guan have never used any dairy ingredients of Chinese origin in our products. All our dairy ingredients are sourced from either Australia or New Zealand,” they added.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/17/nation/2305367&sec=nation

 

[Ah Hai]

Melamine scare: Potato cracker by Silang to be withdrawn


KUALA LUMPUR: Thirteen more food products have been cleared of melamine by the Health Ministry, said its Food Safety and Quality Division director, Nooraini Mohd Othman.

They are Baby Bites Rice Tusk (Take One), Chunky Peanut Butter (Skippy), Cream Filled Golden Bar Biscuits (Ego), Creamy Peanut Butter (Daisy), Lollipop with Whistle (Golden Pop) and Marsh Mellow Dairy Milk Flavour Candy (Ego).

The others are Milk Candy (Mr Bunny), Peanut Butter & Chocolate Milk Stripes (Lady’s Choice), Prawn Crackers (Jumbo), Shim Ramyum Noodles (Nong Shim), Potato Cracker (Wasabi) (Silang), Health Daily Biscuit (Silang) and Cocoa Cookie (KTQ).

Nooraini, however, said another product, Potato Cracker (Silang) was found to contain melamine at a level above the standard.

“The ministry has identified the manufacturer. The Health Department has been ordered to destroy the product while the manufacturer has been told to withdraw the product from the market,” she said.

Consumers could contact the Food Safety and Quality Division at 0388833655, 0388833503, 0388833652 and 0388833500 or surf http://fsq.moh.goc.my for information. - Bernama

 

[makapaaa]

Wow and the PAP, being so proud of our efficiency didn't detect this!!!!

Blame CSJ for taking up my daddy's and my time in my Bel's court! *hee*hee*​

 

[Ah Hai]

Published: Monday October 20, 2008 MYT 5:01:00 PM
Melamine: Biscuit maker ordered to recall tainted products
By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH

MUAR: The Johor Health Department has directed the Khong Guan biscuit company in Senai to recall 12 types of biscuits which had been tested last week and found to contain high levels of melamine.

State Women, Family, Welfare and Health Committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai said the biscuit varieties are Biskut Soda, Biskut Lemon Puff, Biskut Pof, Biskut Butter Cream, Biskut Baby Fish, Biskut Health Cracker, Biskut Cocoa Puff, Biskut Sandwich Oren, Biskut Family Crackers, Biskut Bentuk Binatang, Biskut Rokok and Biskut Mini Puff.

These were the same 12 types of biscuits Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai had announced on Oct 16 to have contained excessive amounts of melamine from the raising agent ammonium bicarbonate imported from China and used to produce the biscuits.

“We had seized 107 metric tonnes of the products, valued at about RM561,000, from the factory on Oct 14,” she told reporters here on Monday.

“We want the factory to recall those contaminated products from all shops and retail outlets throughout Johor.”

Dr Robia said market survey showed that most Khong Guan biscuits were distributed to shops and mini-markets, including in villages and housing schemes.

She also urged the public to report to the nearest Health Department offices if they spotted the contaminated products on sale and warned them not to buy the products.

She said the department would seize the products and book the manufacturer under Section 13C of the Food Act if it failed to recall the products within two weeks.

“The manufacturer can face a maximum fine of RM100,000 or 10 years jail or both if found guilty,” she added.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/20/nation/20081020165906&sec=nation