State MDTCC director advises people to adopt this stance until contamination issue over
PRICE CHECK: Wan Ahmad Uzir checks the price of instant noodles as Dr Toh (right) and Balraj look on.
SIBU: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) has advised the public to stop buying food products from Taiwan for the time being.
State MDTCC director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman also told the people that they should do so until such imported items were declared free from diethylhexy phthalate (DEHP) and safe for consumption.
Last week, the Health Ministry (MOH) had ordered Cosway (M) Sdn Bhd to withdraw two Taiwanese food products containing DEHP and diisononyl phthalate (DINP).
The products were Oriyen Nutri Grow (Boy) Orange Drink Premix 330g and Oriyen Nutri Grow (Girl) Cranberry Drink Premix 330g manufactured by Jin Zhuan Lifesciences Enterprise Co Ltd, Taiwan.
On June 8, MOH director-general Datuk Dr Hassan Abdul Rahman said two products manufactured by Signwin Food Enterprise in Taiwan namely, Strawberry Pudding Powder and Strawberry Pudding were suspected to be contaminated with DEHP.
The ministry also on its website advised the public not to buy Sunkist Lemon Juice, Sunkist Lemon Juice Drink with Aloe Vera Pulp, Sunkist Orange Juice Drink and Sunkist Orange Juice manufactured by Country House Inc in Taiwan as well as a product by Uni-President Enterprise Corporation – the Uni-President Asparagus Juice.
The products were found to be tainted with DEHP which is widely used as a plasticiser in manufacturing of articles made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
DEHP can cause liver cancer, birth defects, infertility and is also associated with thyroid, pancreas and kidney damage.