JOINT STATEMENT
MELAMINE MILK CONTAMINATION
Viet Nam’s Ministry of Health today joined two UN agencies to tell consumers to be alert, but not alarmed by the melamine milk contamination.
Ministry of Health and other concerning ministries have moved swiftly to restore the safe supply of dairy products for consumers.
To ensure all consumers are protected, especially vulnerable infants, all products identified as containing melamine will be removed from the market – even those foods with very low levels of contamination.
This policy will continue until standard international guidelines for melamine safety levels are determined. Our primary aim is to protect Vietnamese consumers.
Prior to this contamination, melamine was not identified as a chemical that would occur in primary production or the manufacture of any food product.
We emphasize that melamine has never before been recognized as a substance in food.
We can confirm that not all milk being sold in Viet Nam is contaminated with melamine.
Consumers should not stop using or boycott milk as this could have an adverse nutritional impact. However, consumers should only chose products that have been verified as not containing melamine and with proper packaging, labels and origin clearly displayed.
Ministry of Health action:
Following notification of the contamination, the MoH rapidly implemented several initiatives and positive measure to:
- Strictly prevent the exposure of melamine contaminated milk and milk products to consumers.
- Actively screen to determine melamine in milk raw material, milk and milk product, in order to resolve the obstacles in circulation, protect the rights of true businesses.
- Strengthen IEC activities in order to give consumers important information to protect themselves and ensure they not stop using milk and milk products.
In addition, the MoH has been actively collaborating with WHO and FAO, technical experts as well as other Ministries and the People's Committees to:
- Establish 20 inter-ministerial teams to conduct inspections and take samples nationwide on milk products from manufacturers and businesses;
- Suspend the distribution of all milk materials products that do not have a clear origin and brand name;
- Standardize melamine testing methods, including international training for Vietnamese technical experts;
- Assign 22 laboratories across the country to test for melamine;
- Permit enterprises to actively test for melamine and verify the safety of their products and announce test results to consumers;
- Update and announce daily to consumers via mass media the list of melamine contaminated products.
Up to the afternoon of 6th October more than 500 samples of milk and milk products had been taken. 23 have been identified as containing melamine. The relevant authorities requested the importers to withdraw the products from circulation.
Most businesses that import or manufacture milk products have been inspected or products have been independently tested. These results have all been announced.
At this time the Ministry of Health believes that the melamine contamination in milk products has been effectively controlled in Viet Nam.
Our combined aim is to ensure the safe feeding of Viet Nam’s infants.
Breastfeeding is the best, safest and most natural way of providing infants with the nutrients they need.
Replacing powdered infant formula with other products such as condensed milk, honey mixed with milk, or fresh milk is inappropriate as these products would put at risk the safety and nutritional status of this vulnerable population group.
All infants should be fed exclusively with breast milk for the first six months of life. No other liquid or food, not even water, is needed during this period. Thereafter, infants should receive complementary foods while breastfeeding continues up to two years.