PM urges gov't to take prompt action to cope with melamine food scare
- 관리자
- 2008.10.08
- Hit 4394
Prime Minister Han visited Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) Sunday to inspect the melamine testing laboratory and urged the body to quickly recall all food items, including snacks and powdered milk, contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine.
Han also urged the government to review the country's management of toxic chemicals and stressed the need to develop an advanced food safety management system in order to effectively respond to any kinds of food safety incidents in the future.
Melamine is an industrial chemical used to make fertilizer and plastics. It can cause renal problems such as kidney stones or acute renal failure if consumed in large doses, but it was mixed with powdered milk by suppliers or manufacturers to artificially boost protein levels.
Nearly 13,000 infants in mainland China and Hong Kong were admitted to hospital with kidney stones and four have died after consuming melamine-contained powdered milk, Chinese media reported in mid-September 2008.
According to Korea's Food & Drug Administration, 212 out of 402 food import items produced in China have been cleared from the sales-ban list. The state food safety authorities plan to complete the melamine inspection process of all 428 food import products from China by this Friday.
The KFDA further plans to establish a database of products banned from sale and provide pictures and product information on the Internet and food stores and offer up to 300,000 won reward for consumers who report any case of illegal sales of banned food products containing harmful chemicals.
With regard to the latest melamine food scandal, Korea's Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said it will create a manual designed to direct how to respond to food safety accidents and what actions should be taken by manufacturers, the health and environment agency and regional government offices.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer