HCMC – At least 37 types of dairy products from the HCMC market have been found to

contain lower protein levels than indicated on the packages, announced the HCMC Public
Health and Hygiene Institute last week.

Random samples were taken in the city markets during April to November of 2008 and
were tested by the institute for melamine and protein levels, and hence the sub-standard
products were exposed. Director of the institute Le Hoang Ninh said that the tests were
primarily aimed to check melamine with an aim to protect local consumer’s health.

According to Ninh, the institute took 99 random samples from the city market, 50 of
which were imported dairy products. After testing, they uncovered 37 samples have
the protein level 30% lower than that declared by the producers on the products’
packages.

Before the institute’s announcement, the HCMC Department of Health has fined five
dairy processors and closed down one of them for cheating consumers.

According to the report, inspectors tested 15 milk samples taken from the five above
companies. Ten samples failed to meet the protein content levels that the producers
registered.

Notably, the Hung Lam Co., Ltd. did not announce the product quality standards for its
five powdered milk products. Tests showed that the firm’s products, trademarked
Foodmilk, did not meet Vietnam’s protein content standards for powdered milk.

Other milk products that did not meet the protein content registered by the producers
include Maylac-powdered milk of Nhu Trang Company, Holland Gold calcium and iron
plus powdered milk of Tuan Cuong Phat Company, and Calyx Calcium powdered milk of
Dai Hoa Food JS Company.

HCMC’s health inspectors imposed a total fine of VND50 million (US$2,940) on the five
above companies, temporarily closed Hung Lam Company and forced this firm to destroy
160 kilos of unqualified milk. Inspectors also asked Nhu Trang, Tuan Cuong Phat and
Dai Hoa companies to reprocess over 300 kilos of powdered milk.

Some dairy giants like Vinamilk, Dutch Lady, Campina and Bibica are also mentioned in
the black list due to wrong labels although their real protein levels are higher than what
are announced on products’ packages.

Last Thursday, the department reported to the Food Safety Agency and the Health
Ministry the results of its probe at five milk producing companies in HCMC.

Along with the HCMC Department of Health’s black list, the Vietnam Standards and
Consumers Association last week also declared ten out of 20 milk product samples from
HCMC as substandard ones.
“Milk products with low levels of protein are inferior products, as they do not provide
basic nutrition. The health of consumers can be badly affected, particularly among
children, elderly and patients,” Ninh explained to Daily.

If children rely on milk products with low protein levels over a long period of time, their
bodies will not be provided with enough nutrition. The lack of protein may lead to
malnutrition and hinder their development in terms of both weight and height.

“Lack of protein may also affect a child’s immune system, putting them at higher risk of
catching diseases,” he said.

As the Daily’s observation, all tests have completed in October and November last year.
However, these State agencies only publicized the results last week regardless how local
customers have continued using low quality products over a long time.

Asked by the Daily why the HCMC Health Department was too slow in making the
needed announcement, Nguyen Van Chau, director of the department, said that last year
was the time of melamine storm. Thus, they did not announce this information for fear
that it should cause anxiety among local customers leading to the boycotting of such
dairy products.

Meanwhile, director of the city’s Public Health and Hygiene Institute Le Hoang Ninh
said that the black list had already been reported to authorities as per the law.

“We only have the responsibility to send the information to the city’s Health Department
and the Ministry of Health. The information will help them find out solution and tighten
supervision on the dairy market to protect people’s health,” he added.