Port runs lab tests on dairy imports

The Chittagong customs sent the samples of imported Fonterra-branded powdered milk to laboratories for chemical tests.
Earlier the Chittagong customs had stopped releasing around 600 tonnes of milk, imported mainly from New Zealand-based Fonterra over the last two months, in the wake of a botulism scare globally.
“We sent the samples of 30 consignments to different laboratories in Chittagong this week. We will have to see the nitrite level in the milk,” Mahmudul Hassan, a joint commissioner at Chittagong customs, said by phone yesterday.
The commerce ministry has already sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue, asking it not to release any powdered milk from Chittagong port without testing the nitrite level as a bacteria was found in some of the Fonterra products that could cause botulism.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed said the government has not imposed any restriction on the dairy products.
"Those will be released after tests."
Five local companies imported the milk. In the year to June, Bangladesh imported 20,741 tonnes of milk powder, mainly from Fonterra.
The botulism scare, stemmed from Fonterra powdered milk, sparked global recalls and restriction on imports by countries, including China, early this month.
Botulism is an infection caused by bacteria that can lead to paralysis and death.
Fonterra is a big supplier of wholesale dairy products to multinational food and beverage companies. It also markets its own consumer brands, including Anchor milk in New Zealand and Anlene and Anmum maternal milk formula.
After the deadly bacteria was found in China on August 3, Fonterra said it had supplied contaminated milk to its customers, including Coca-Cola, Danone SA and China's Wahaha, in nine countries.
The world's biggest cooperative, Fonterra said it had sold contaminated whey protein concentrate to eight customers for use in a range of products, including infant milk powder.
Sri Lanka last week ended a ban on the sale of Fonterra milk products that had been ordered after food safety authorities said they found the toxic farm chemical dicyandiamide (DCD) in two batches of milk powder, according to Reuters.
The term nitrates is often used interchangeably with nitrites, which occur naturally in water, soil and food and can be used as fertilisers and preservatives. Excessively high levels can be toxic.