STRICTLY NO MILK POWDER ADVERTS

Health Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala banned all milk powder advertisements in the electronic and print media from yesterday until further notice, a Health Ministry spokesman said. The Health Ministry also recalled all suspected milk powder brands imported from New Zealand from the market on Monday, he said. The spokesman said Dr. Mahipala announced the ban under Food Act Number 26 of 1980 using his powers in consultation with the Food Advisory Committee. The Health Ministry will conduct fresh and further investigations on Dicyandiamide (DCD) and the bacteria which cause Botulism in all imported milk powder brands available in Sri Lanka. The investigations will be carried out with the assistance of the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) and a leading laboratory in Singapore. Advertising will be allowed only after obtaining the reports of the tests, the spokesman said. Earlier, foreign and local media reported about contaminated imported milk power available in Sri Lanka (contaminated with DCD) and China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Saudi Arabia (contaminated with a bacteria which cause Botulism). China and Russia have banned importing contaminated milk powder. It was reported that the milk powder in Sri Lanka is contaminated with a chemical named Dicyandiamide (DCD). A bacteria causes Botulism which is a rare but sometimes fatal paralytic illness. Food borne botulism is an affliction caused by consuming food contaminated with the botulinum toxin. Severe and untreated Botulism can lead to coma and eventually death.