Ministry told to speak up on bad milk

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) pushed the Health Ministry to explain to the public the long-term effects of formula milk discovered to be contaminated by the Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria.

YLKI chairmain Husna Zahir said more information was needed after a study by the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) found the bacteria in several baby formula samples taken between 2003 and 2006.

“It occurred from 2003 to 2006. And now, the children who consumed that milk have grown up,” Husna said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

She said the ministry had not provided information about the potential side effects, typical symptoms or usual health complaints people who drank the tainted milk might evince.

In a verdict made in late January, the Supreme Court ordered that the Health Ministry, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), and the IPB release a list of the manufacturers of the milk.

IPB researchers found that 22.7 percent of 22 baby formula samples in circulation between 2003 and 2006 contained Enterobacter sakazakii. This bacteria has been associated with life-threatening infections such as meningitis. — JP