The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) said Friday that it has started creating a list of Chinese milk products that should be avoided by Filipinos.

 

BFAD chief Leticia Barbara Gutierrez said the list may be issued to the public anytime next week.

 

"Because the public is asking for the specific brands, we have started making a list of the products. We're really working on it. We just want to have an accurate list," Gutierrez told ABS-CBN's morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda," in reaction to groups that have been clamoring BFAD to come up with a list of banned Chinese milk products.

 

While the list is being created, Gutierrez advised to public to avoid all milk products with the "made in China" or PROC, initials for People's Republic of China, marks.

 

She added that Filipino consumers should also avoid infant formula and other milk products that have Chinese characters.

 

Department of Health (DOH) and BFAD inspectors have been taking out Chinese milk products in markets around the country. Samples had also been brought to BFAD laboratories for melamine content testing.

 

The two agencies have issued orders banning the sale and distribution of all Chinese milk products in the country. 

 

Other importing countries have also banned Chinese milk products as the Chinese government conducted a crackdown on all milk manufacturers that are using the toxic chemical melamine.

 

Over 50,000 Chinese babies have been reported sickened due to infant formula milk products that are contaminated with melamine.

 

 

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday disclosed that a total of 2,138,397 million kilograms of Chinese milk were delivered to the Philippines from January to August this year.

 

The number was broken down into two: milk and cream not concentrated or sweetened (1,467,490 kilograms) and milk and cream concentrated (670,907).

 

Customs chief Napoleon Morales said a big chunk of milk and dairy products from China was distributed by Fly Ace Corp. and Fonterra Brands Philippines Inc.

 

Morales said because of the temporary ban ordered by DOH on Chinese milk products, the BoC temporarily canceled the import permits of the two Chinese milk distributors.

 

The customs chief added that the BoC had also stopped giving import permits to other Chinese milk distributors in compliance with the DOH ban.