BPOM and Mars to do new melamine test

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 10/09/2008 10:32 AM  |  Business

The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has agreed to conduct another test on Mars Inc.'s products recently declared unsafe on the grounds they allegedly contained the toxic ingredient melamine, upon the company's request.

Late last month, the company's products, namely M&Ms, Snickers and Dove were included in the BPOM list of 19 China-based dairy products said to contain melamine -- a toxic chemical normally used in fertilizers and plastics.

However Mars argued that the agency's test contradicted similar tests carried out by others, which it claimed had shown negative results.

Husniah Rubiana Thamrin, BPOM head, said Wednesday that Mars had indeed insisted on performing another test and that the agency had no problem accommodating that request.

"They have conveyed that they would like to do another test with experts from abroad. We welcomed the proposal as long as we are also involved in the test."

Husniah said that by next week Mars will have brought their experts to make a collaborative test with the BPOM.

While welcoming the additional test, Husniah was convinced that the agency had it right when it announced the list last month.

"We have tested three times and three times tests showed positive results that the products contained melamine," she said, adding that the agency used internationally recognized procedures and equipment to do the tests.

"Mars products in Indonesia are now 100 percent imported from China."

Foods containing Chinese dairy products were banned in many countries, including Indonesia, after four infants died and tens of thousands of others fell ill after consuming milk contaminated with melamine.

Melamine has been allegedly used to thicken the milk and boost the apparent protein content of watered-down milk.

BPOM earlier said the products on its list contained melamine as they had been produced in China, as indicated by the bar code, which begins "ML" for foreign made products.

Local-based products, which are indicated by "MD" on the bar code, are safe because they are made using local milk or milk imported from Australia or New Zealand.

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