A month after the milk scandal in China, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) is still unable to confirm or deny the presence of industrial chemical melamine in formulas available in the market.
The BSTI authorities say that they are yet to receive the test results of milk powder from the chemistry department of Dhaka University.
Meanwhile, parents are panicked and worried about their children as they feed them formulas.
Different media published reports last month that formulas produced in China contained melamine that led to the death of four babies in China and sickened more than 54,000 others with kidney stones and other illnesses.
The BSTI authorities then collected 36 brands of milk powder produced or imported in 11 countries for tests. They sent those to the chemistry department of Dhaka University as their own lab was unable to conduct tests for melamine.
“In the first phase, we selected three brands of Chinese milk including Yashili 1, Yashili 2, Sweet Baby and five other brands of milk powder including Nido 45 instant milk powder, Redcow, Diploma, Dano and Anlin for testing,” said Director General of BSTI Azmal Hossain, adding, “We are yet to receive the results.”
Azmal said he told the ministry concerned yesterday that they would release the results soon after getting them.
Prof Tazmeri SA Islam, chairman of the chemistry department told The Daily Star yesterday, “Our examinations are not over. We have been doing it in different methods at our laboratory.”
She said they may finish their tests in a day or two.
A number of private labs had confirmed traces of melamine in Chinese milk products.
Fonterra Global Trade and Nestle Dairy products in separate statements yesterday said their dairy products are safe for consumption.
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