THE Ministry of Health has issued a recall for Milky Evaporated Milk which is manufactured in China and has been alleged to be contaminated with melamine, a synthetic chemical used in a variety of industrial applications including the production of resins and foams, cleaning products, plastic products, fertilisers and pesticides.

The melamine scandal broke recently when several children in China died and more than 53,000 were hospitalised after consuming milk containing melamine.

Health effects from exposure to melamine vary, depending on the amount and duration of exposure. Scientific research indicates that effects to the bladder and kidneys, such as bladder and kidney stones and chronic kidney inflammation, can be seen if exposed to high enough levels of melamine.

The Food and Drug Department, in a release, said it is engaged in an intensive search of the domestic market for the presence of milk and milk-derived food products manufactured in China.

The Department has located Milky Evaporated Milk. This product was not seen in the large supermarkets, but was detected in a Guyana municipal market among small vendors, the release said. Two importers, who are unregistered by the Department, are currently assisting the agency with this recall exercise.

The Department said that, according to intelligence received, the milk was imported through Suriname, and is calling on all consumers not to purchase or consume this product, and to report information on its sale to them.

Wholesalers and retailers are being asked to surrender any milk products containing milk-derived ingredients manufactured in China to the Food and Drug department. -Guyana Chronicle