hankyoreh

Following the discovery of melamine in two snacks -- Misarang Custard from Haitai Confectionery and Milk Rusk from J&J International -- imported from China and Hong Kong respectively, the Korea Food and Drug Administration said September 26 that the poisonous chemical was also found in a Chinese-made coffee creamer sold in South Korea called Vegetable Cream Powder F25. The KFDA also said that it had also found melamine in two packs of Misarang Custard with expiration dates that are different from the dates on the products first found to be contaminated with melamine. The KFDA banned a total of 304 Chinese-made food products from being sold or distributed, saying an inspection is underway.

The KFDA reported that it had seized 16 tons of the coffee creamer Vegetable Cream Powder F25, which is imported by Yuchang F.C., and ordered the company to recall 25 tons of the product, saying the product had tested positive for 1.5 parts per million of melamine. The KFDA suspects the product was sold for use in coffee vending machines or sold at coffee shops. Coffee creamer, generally used in place of milk, is a mixture of vegetable oils such as palm oil and casein from milk, as well as other additives.

This brings the total of Chinese-made, melamine-tainted products to three, leading to fears that what has become known as the “melamine scare” could grow if the KFDA detects the presence of melamine in other products.

The KFDA reported that it had found melamine in two Misarang Custard packs, one with an expiration date of December 25, 2008, and the other with an expiration date of May 6, 2009. Both packs tested positive for 8.6 parts per million and 8.2 parts per million of melamine respectively, the FDA said.

As melamine has been found in Chinese-made products imported to Korea, the KFDA said it had banned 304 out of 428 products containing Chinese-made milk ingredients from being sold or distributed because it has not yet completed inspecting the products. The KFDA will post a list of these products on its Web site. So far, the KFDA has inspected 166 cases of food representing 124 brands, and found melamine in three products.

So far this year, South Korea has imported 4,308 tons of vegetable cream powder, including the coffee creamer tainted with melamine and 26 tons of casein from China, according to the KFDA. In a report to the National Assembly, the KFDA said 145 Chinese brands of vegetable cream powder, or 4,308 tons, were imported into South Korea this year.

With the discovery that Vegetable Cream Powder F25 is tainted, there are lingering concerns that melamine could be found in Chinese-made casein. Melamine was found in a Chinese-made coffee creamer used to produce an instant coffee mix sold by a famous drink company in Taiwan.

Consumers have expressed growing concern about the fact that whenever a food scandal occurs, companies recall less than 10 percent of the affected product.

According to KFDA data submitted to Rep. Sohn Sook-mi of the ruling Grand National Party, 864.5 tons of imported snacks and candies were sold between January 2007 and June 2008. However, only 9.9 percent of the food products were recalled, the data showed.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]