No misleading ads
The Court of Appeal yesterday issued an Interim Order preventing Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., from publishing advertisements, which are designed and intended to inform the consumers that milk powder imported and distributed by them is 100% safe, in a manner that would mislead the milk powder consuming public. The Bench comprising President of Court of Appeal, Justice S. Sriskandaraja, and Justice Malani Gunaratna, issued the order after hearing the submissions of Counsel for petitioner, Upul Jayasuriya.
By Stanley Samarasinghe and Aisha Nazim
The Court of Appeal yesterday issued an Interim Order preventing Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., from publishing advertisements, which are designed and intended to inform the consumers that milk powder imported and distributed by them is 100% safe, in a manner that would mislead the milk powder consuming public. The Bench comprising President of Court of Appeal, Justice S. Sriskandaraja, and Justice Malani Gunaratna, issued the order after hearing the submissions of Counsel for petitioner, Upul Jayasuriya.
Petitioner Kamal Saliya Samarasinghe, an architect from Matale, filed the application as a matter of public interest stating that it has become known among the members of the public the milk powder imported from... ...New Zealand is contaminated with Dicyandiamide (DCD), which is harmful and or toxic to human health.
Dicyandiamide is a white crystalline compound, of which the primary use is the production of melamine, commonly known as DCD, which is used in the production of a wide range of organic chemicals, including slow and continuous nitrogen release, the petitioner said. "The Ministry of Public Industry of New Zealand initiated testing the milk products produced by Fonterra Brands Lanka Ltd. The analyses confirmed the presence of DCD in quantifiable levels in one raw milk sample and one raw colostrums sample with colostrums sample being flagged as having trace level below the reporting threshold 0.05 milligram in one kilogramme," the petitioner stated.
"Despite high risk to health and safety of consumers of milk products sold and distributed by Fonterra, the Consumer Affairs Authority has failed to make aware the milk powder consuming public of Sri Lanka the risks posed to the health of its consumers as a result of consumption of milk powder products sold and distributed by Fonterra," the petitioner also said.
The Court issued the Interim Order valid till 21 August and order to mention this case on 19 August.
Upul Jayasuriya appeared with Sandamal Rajapaksa instructed by Mahesika G. Wickramatunga.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry yesterday notified milk foods companies to withdraw products that contain Dicyandiamide (DCD) from the market.
Health Ministry Spokesperson, W.M.D. Wanninayake told Ceylon Today that several batches of powdered milk brands were discovered to indeed contain DCD, and the Health Ministry has informed the relevant companies to withdraw the batches that are contaminated with it.
"Four batches of Anchor Full Cream Milk Powder, Anchor One Plus, Maliban Non-Fat Milk Powder and Diamond Milk have been identified by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) as contaminated with DCD. We will continue testing samples of all future dairy products shipped into the country, before releasing them into the market, and will release the products fit for consumption," he said.
The ministry will also continue testing imported products for Clostridium Botulinum, a bacterium that could cause botulism. All milk products from New Zealand will be sent to the Medical Research Institute (MRI) to be tested for Clostridium Botulinum, he added.
