By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

CEBU, Philippines — Following the ban on melamine-contaminated milk products from China, health officials here reassured that the Department of Health will continue implementing strict controls and inspection on imported food products while ensuring information sharing to avoid another health scare.

At the opening ceremony of the 5th Asian Conference on food and nutrition safety, Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) director Leticia Gutierrez said government will continue monitoring milk and milk products from China.

“We also make sure that imported products entering the country have a certificate of product registration,” added Gutierrez.

Chinese Center of Disease Control director Junshi Chen admitted that the Ministry of Health of China has used “a level of 15 mg/kg of melamine in infant formula for risk communication purposes.”

“The 15 mg, it’s not likely to cause adverse health effects to consumers. If it’s higher than 15, then it’s risky,” said Chen.

Dr. Robert Baker, global head of food safety at Mars Incorporated, however, stressed that any form of adulteration should not be happening.

Apart from food contamination issues, Dr. Masami Takeuchi, Food Safety officer of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN), noted the impact of trade, economics and policies on world food supply and food safety.

Takeuchi said the increasing volume and diversity of international food trading can affect food safety and food supply.