Safe or NOT Safe???

Two interesting reports for your consideration. One that is 'safe' to drink....

. Malaysia milk products safe for consumption, says Health Ministry by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (The Malaysian Insider)

The Health Ministry has declared the 1 Malaysia milk products safe for public consumption and blamed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for “confusing” the public on the matter.


DAP’s Tony Pua recently claimed the 1 Malaysia Growing Up Milk Powder did not contain at least 15 of the legally required nutrients and carried 6,012 international units (IU) of Vitamin A per 100kcal — 802 per cent above the permissible limit.


He had also claimed earlier this month that tests by two certified laboratories had detected the presence of E. coli and a higher than permitted amount of coliform in the own-brand fresh milk sold at Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia outlets.


Strains of E. coli can cause food poisoning if ingested by humans.


“We have verified and analysed the product for its Vitamin A levels and found that it carried 3240 I.U./ 100g, which is not above the 5,000 I.U.


“The claims by some people that the milk contains an excess of Vitamin A is not true,” Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (picture) told reporters.


Liow also said six other Kedai 1 Malaysia products had been tested and one of them – Sos Tiram 1 Malaysia had failed to abide by the standard protein level permitted.


“I would like to ask for Tony Pua’s cooperation. If there is any product which he has doubts on, he should send it to the ministry for checks, he cannot take action on his own because he is not an expert in it,” added Liow.


Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have accused the government of taking advantage of the poor by selling them “substandard products” at Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia, launched in June by Datuk Seri Najib Razak.


The prime minister launched the first of three shops now operating in the Klang Valley in response to rising inflation, which hit a two-year high of 3.5 per cent that same month.


Kedai Rakyat offers 250 generic products like rice, oil, flour, bread, eggs, milk powder and diapers at prices 30 to 40 per cent lower than market rates, as well as branded goods.


The government plans to set up more outlets in other locations, similar to the 1 Malaysia clinics the Najib administration has established in states like Sabah and Sarawak.

And another which is NOT safe ...I guarantee you that you will surely be entertained by some absurd responses!

Health Ministry orders recall for KR1M oyster sauce by Hazlan Zakaria of Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry has today ordered a recall of Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia’s (KR1M) oyster sauce, for violating food safety regulations.


"We have informed the Domestic Trade and Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, which has jurisdiction over the matter to remove the product from the market.


“The product must be recalled immediately," its minister Liow Tiong Lai told reporters at a press conference at Parliament House today.


He explained that the 1Malaysia branded oyster sauce sold at KR1M outlets nationwide, recorded a lower protein content than the requirement mandated by the Food Regulation 1985, in tests conducted by the ministry's Food Safety Department.


"Two samples of the sauce obtained by the ministry recorded protein content of 0.8% protein weight for weight (w/w) and 1.0% protein w/w compared to the standard for oyster sauce which is 2.5% protein w/w specified in Rule 166A of the Act."


The sauce is one of seven products tested by the Health Ministry following claims by Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua that the quality of the products were in question.


'Pua didn't send samples'

To a question, Liow said there had been a delay in conducting the tests because samples need to be procured.

"I asked Pua (left) to send the samples to me. But since he was not forthcoming, I had to send out my officers to obtain samples for testing by the department responsible," related the minister.

Liow however cleared other products of any infringement of food regulations, which was alleged by Pua.


"We have tested samples of the sweetened condensed creamer, evaporated creamer, pure Ceylon tea, meehoon and blackcurrant fruit cordial and found them to comply with the food safety regulations," assured the minister.


He also denied Pua's claim that the Vitamin A contents of the KR1M's growing up milk formula was way above permissible levels.


Second batch of tests soon


He argued that while Pua quoted the Food Regulation, he had mixed up the numbers.


"He referred to the growing up milk formula, but used the maximum Vitamin A levels for the for the follow-up formula.


"We have tested the growing up milk and found its Vitamin level to be 3,420 I.U. per 100 gram, this is way below the permissible level of 5,000 I.U. per 100 gram for growing up formula detailed in the regulation," explained Liow.


Asked about claims that KR1M's chilli sauce has exceedingly high levels of heavy metals, Liow said that this is just the first batch of tests which they will follow up with more items soon.


"There are more items being tested, we know he (Pua) has got more items to highlight, and we too will test as many samples as we can," he replied.


The health minister who is also Bentong MP, hit out at Pua who he claimed is using the issue to clock political mileage.

"He should have came to us with the samples and claims of problematic products. He should not have abused the matter to mislead the rakyat for political gains."

Interesting developments, right?

- masterwordsmith