FDA suspects local use of melaminetainted milk powder

The discovery has prompted the FDA to seek cooperation from the Agriculture and Finance ministries in issuing a nationwide order that border checkpoints keep a lookout for powdered milk being smuggled and send samples for testing.

Most importers have been telling the authorities their powderedmilk imports from China are only used in animal food. However, traces of melamine have been found in some products meant for human consumption.

Pipat said the Medical Science Department would test each shipment of milk products from China, and only those with no trace of melamine would be put on the shelves.

The latest results on S&P cookies and milk products came up negative, and they are considered safe for consumption.

Meanwhile, The Thai Dairy Industry announced the FDA had deemed its products safe for consumption with the exception of its Mali unsweetened condensed skimmed milk with palmoil formula, which on Tuesday was found to have 92.82 milligrams of melamine per kilogram.

The next day, the FDA checked three products from The Thai Dairy Industry - Orchid salted butter, Birdwings nondairy creamer and Mali sweetened condensed milk - and found the compound in only one of the products. However, Pipat refused to reveal the tainted product's name, saying it did not exceed FDA's regulations and was safe therefore for consumption.

The FDA allows no more than 1mg/kg of melamine in milk and 2.5mg/kg in milkbased products, and those found violating the law face fines of between Bt5,000 and Bt20,000 and imprisonment for six months to two years, Pipat said.