DUSHANBE, November 17, 2008, Asia-Plus — Since the beginning of this year, no Chinese products containing milk have been delivered to Tajikistan, Abdurasoul Sharifov, a spokesman for the Tajik Customs Service, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, chocolate products such as Snickers, Kit Kat, and M&Ms that are realized in Tajikistan have been produced not in Iran but in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
“All products imported into the country undergo appropriate examination at customs and standardization bodies for getting certificate of quality,” said Sharifov, “After receiving an official letter from the Ministry of Health on putting ban on import of Chinese products containing milk in mid-October, customs officers carefully control imports of dried milk and milk containing products.”
We will recall that the Ministry of Health (MoH) has sent an appropriate letter to the Customs Service, Agency for Standardization, Metrology, Certification and trade Inspection, as well as the State Service for Pharmaceutical Activity Supervision on putting ban on import of Chinese products containing milk.
According to a MoH, such a decision has been made in connection with Chinese milk scandal. China is battling a tainted milk scandal which, according to international mass media, has seen 53,000 children sickened and four killed by milk laced with melamine, an industrial chemical normally used to make plastics. When added to milk, the toxic chemical can make it appear richer in protein
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 47 000 infants and young children in China were hospitalized in September and October this year for urinary problems, possible renal tube blockages and possible kidney stones related to the consumption of melamine contaminated infant formula and related dairy products. Four deaths among infants have been confirmed and cases have also been found in Hong Kong SAR, Macao and Taiwan, China. Kidney stones in infants are very rare.
Countries have also reported finding melamine in milk containing products, dairy and non-dairy products manufactured in China. So far, contamination has been found in liquid milk, frozen yogurt dessert, biscuits, candies and in coffee drink. All these products were most probably manufactured using ingredients made from melamine contaminated milk. The non-dairy products are animal-based (e.g. eggs) and are likely contaminated through animal feed tainted with melamine. Some countries have taken a range of measures to restrict or ban imports of a number of food products from China containing milk based ingredients.
