MILK SAFE - NO CANARDS PLEASE

Legal action against those publishing false information:

Nadira Gunatilleke

Since the Health Ministry has guaranteed the safety of imported milk powder available in Sri Lanka, legal action will be taken against any person or organization which publicizes false information about milk powder, aimed at misleading the public, as such persons and organizations will be deemed to have violated ‘the rules and regulations of the Food Act 26 of 1980’, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the Food Advisory Committee and Food Control Unit of the Health Ministry with the assistance of the WHO has assured that no milk powder with DCD (Dicyandiamide) will be available in the local market. A gazette notification was recently issued by the Health Ministry in connection with DCD contents in milk powder stating that even a small or harmless amount of DCD will not be allowed in milk powder.

The Imported Food Testing Unit of the Health Ministry has already taken steps to ensure that DCD is not in imported milk powder.

“Scientific testing carried out locally and in foreign countries proved that the amount of DCD in milk powder is not harmful to humans and safe to consume. The DCD contained in cow’s milk comes from the grass they consume. DCD in grass is a result of agro chemicals.

DCD is something that milk should not contain,” he said. “Nevertheless, certain persons and organizations publish newspaper notices etc misleading the public on the DCD issue and imported milk powder.

This is purely a violation of the Food Act No 26 of 1980 and the Health Ministry will take legal action against those violators,” he added.