October 31, 2008
Vietnam detects melamine in animal feed
Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Science and Technology has detected melamine in 80 animal feed samples but the city's health department claimed that these are reference findings.
The Center for Analysis Service and Experiment (CASE) said they tested 400 feed samples from enterprises since August this year. The centre's director, Dinh Cong Tuan said melamine ratios were as high as 2 percent as some manufacturers wanted to boost protein counts by infusing animal feed with melamine.
However the health department's director responded by saying that further tests would be taken to verify the findings. He said the department would work with HCMC Agriculture and Rural Development and other relevant agencies to investigate whether melamine is added to animal feed and eggs.
Earlier, deputy health minister Cao Minh Quang broke to the media that health inspectors had discovered melamine in poultry feed. The neighbourhood was thus cordoned off and the tainted feed destroyed.
In addition, the Animal Health Department said they had taken random samples on Monday, and not found any melamine in eggs at stores and supermarkets. Vice director of the department, Phan Xuan Thao said all samples tested did not contain melamine. He said that the city consumes around 3.5 million eggs daily.
