This is a clear case that the world is going mad. To be fair, Malaysia and many other countries are included. I've picked on Singapore for the sole reason that the Singaporeans have documented, very well, their moment of madness. I doubt it if Malaysia will ever be good as such documentation.
It has been proven that human beings are most worried about the least likely, lowest risk threats. I worry more about fuses than dying of a heart attack. And for me, the risk of having a heart attack is significantly higher.
I got really pissed off when I read the "Consumer Advisory - an Update on Products Detected to Contain Melamine", by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). Report appears to be undated. First, it states that more biscuits were found to be tainted with melamine. In particular, there were those from Julie's and Khong Guan - both Malaysian companies. Report mentions some Chinese product as well.
On the tainted biscuits, AVA requires the importers and retailers to withdraw the affected Malaysian-made biscuits from sale with immediate effect. Products have been duly listed down. Sounds serious. It goes on to say that "All the 17 affected products will be destroyed under AVA's supervision". Sounds very serious indeed.
Later in page 3 of the results, it says that "based on the level of melamine levels detected by AVA, a consumer can safely take in..." Here, I will quote a few examples, of the "tolerable levels for an adult of 60kg weight (amount daily over a lifetime)"
It has been proven that human beings are most worried about the least likely, lowest risk threats. I worry more about fuses than dying of a heart attack. And for me, the risk of having a heart attack is significantly higher.
I got really pissed off when I read the "Consumer Advisory - an Update on Products Detected to Contain Melamine", by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). Report appears to be undated. First, it states that more biscuits were found to be tainted with melamine. In particular, there were those from Julie's and Khong Guan - both Malaysian companies. Report mentions some Chinese product as well.
On the tainted biscuits, AVA requires the importers and retailers to withdraw the affected Malaysian-made biscuits from sale with immediate effect. Products have been duly listed down. Sounds serious. It goes on to say that "All the 17 affected products will be destroyed under AVA's supervision". Sounds very serious indeed.
Later in page 3 of the results, it says that "based on the level of melamine levels detected by AVA, a consumer can safely take in..." Here, I will quote a few examples, of the "tolerable levels for an adult of 60kg weight (amount daily over a lifetime)"
- Hello Kitty Strawberry Cream Filled Biscuits (20g per pack) - 342 packs!
- Julie's Golden Kaka Crackers (500g per pack) - about 6 packs
- Khong Guan Assorted Biscuits (1 kg/tin) - 5 tins.
This is the part that I went....what the fuck??!! For adults, it is safe to take up to 5 tins of 1kg per tin of Khong Guan Assorted Biscuits? That's effing 5 kilos of biscuits a day! Over a life time before it is dangerous! Come on... who would eat 5kg of biscuits for the rest of his or her life? Or 6 packets of Julie's Golden Kaka Crakers. I am sure you will go gaga before the 2nd pack is over. Crackers indeed. or 342 packets of cream filled biscuits?
In short - the biscuits are safe for consumption. No one in the right mind will eat that much to suffer the ill effects of melamine in the biscuits. If somewhere were to eat that much biscuits, that poor chap might be obese or be dead from diabetics way before melamine gets him or her.
So, looks like some governments are just doing hell a lot of fear mongering. If you test any food product, bet my ass some lead will be present. Bet you there is mercury in fish too. But as long as the levels are low, they are safe. In any case, common sense calls for moderation.
Since the Singaporean government is at it, why not ban the following products: Johnny Walker - surely the consumer will be dead with just two bottles (1litre each), if consumed daily for less than a month! Or ciggies... proven to be dangerous. Hell - even drinking 12kg can of Coca Cola a day would cause serious problems. 12kg of water itself could lead to death - will someone please ban tap water? And don't even get me started on McD or Burger King. Those definitely sound more dangerous than the 'tolerable level' of biscuits. It is realistic to eat two Big Macs a day and die of a heart attack in a year or two - assuming a lack of exercise too. Not even a lifetime. Last check, nasi lemak was a killer too.
So, what the fuck? If I were the biscuit manufacturers, I would have sued the Singaporean Government. After all, they are such a small market, but putting up so much bad publicity. To be fair, the idiot of the Malaysian Health Minister was even holding a tin of Khong Guan biscuits during a press conference for added effect. That picture made it to the front page. I feel like sponsoring 6kg of perfectly good, untainted with melamine, Khong Guan assorted biscuits and ask him to finish in a day. I would love to see that!
For the record, I have no vested interest in the biscuit or FMCG industry. It's just sheer stupidity that gets on my nerves.
In short - the biscuits are safe for consumption. No one in the right mind will eat that much to suffer the ill effects of melamine in the biscuits. If somewhere were to eat that much biscuits, that poor chap might be obese or be dead from diabetics way before melamine gets him or her.
So, looks like some governments are just doing hell a lot of fear mongering. If you test any food product, bet my ass some lead will be present. Bet you there is mercury in fish too. But as long as the levels are low, they are safe. In any case, common sense calls for moderation.
Since the Singaporean government is at it, why not ban the following products: Johnny Walker - surely the consumer will be dead with just two bottles (1litre each), if consumed daily for less than a month! Or ciggies... proven to be dangerous. Hell - even drinking 12kg can of Coca Cola a day would cause serious problems. 12kg of water itself could lead to death - will someone please ban tap water? And don't even get me started on McD or Burger King. Those definitely sound more dangerous than the 'tolerable level' of biscuits. It is realistic to eat two Big Macs a day and die of a heart attack in a year or two - assuming a lack of exercise too. Not even a lifetime. Last check, nasi lemak was a killer too.
So, what the fuck? If I were the biscuit manufacturers, I would have sued the Singaporean Government. After all, they are such a small market, but putting up so much bad publicity. To be fair, the idiot of the Malaysian Health Minister was even holding a tin of Khong Guan biscuits during a press conference for added effect. That picture made it to the front page. I feel like sponsoring 6kg of perfectly good, untainted with melamine, Khong Guan assorted biscuits and ask him to finish in a day. I would love to see that!
For the record, I have no vested interest in the biscuit or FMCG industry. It's just sheer stupidity that gets on my nerves.
