Biscuits safe to eat after melamine-free ruling |10 February 2009

This follows a decision by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) to remove the suspension it had placed on the product.
Singapore stopped importing the Julie brand of biscuits from Malaysia last October as a precaution after 12 of the company’s products were found to be contaminated with melamine.

The National Consumers Forum (Natcof) advised people not to buy any of the products after it received information from the AVA about the possible risk to health.

The biscuits were then removed from the shelves in Seychelles late last year after melamine was confirmed in the Julie brand and several others made in Malaysia.

Melamine has been linked to kidney failure and deaths of children in China, and the level in these particular biscuits was said to be high and potentially dangerous to human health.

The director of importer Communications Singapore, S. Mutharasu, said as soon as the biscuits were found to be contaminated by melamine they were removed from the shelves.

He said his company lost about US $100,000 as it had to refund all the shopkeepers who had bought these products.

However, now the authorities in Singapore have confirmed the biscuits as safe to eat, Fairprice Ltd – which forms part of Communications Singapore – is importing them again.

In Singapore, the authorities asked that the date of manufacture be clearly displayed on the biscuits, as only those made after December 2 are guaranteed free of melamine. This step will also be taken in Seychelles.

Mr Mutharasu said Julie biscuits are among the most popular brands in the country as they are good value for money.

People will be able to buy the new packets of these biscuits from the end of this month.