The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Teachers of the Department of Chemistry of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday were critical of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) for its incompetence to find traces of melamine in eight powder milk brands of multinational companies.

They also said that the melamine test result from DU Laboratory was 'accurate.'

The result showed all the eight brands of milk contain melamine ranging between 40 milligram per kg to 450 milligram per kg.

The department followed the methodologies published in the International Scientific Papers and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of USA when it conducted the test of the products, the teachers said at a press briefing held at the Chemistry Department.

Presence of melamine in any amount is dangerous for human consumption since it is not a food raw material, and it's also not a food preservative, according to health experts.

They said sustained use could cause kidney stones and renal failure, especially among the young.

Head of the melamine research team Prof Nilufar Nahar, Chairman of the Department, Dr Tajmeri SA Islam, former Chairman Prof Abu Jafar Mahmood, Prof Dr Anwarul Islam and Dr Mohammed Arif were present at the briefing.

"We organised the press conference prompted by a sense of duty to make public know about this very urgent children health issue," said Prof Tajmeri.

She said, "We received the samples in plastic bottles on September 22 from the BSTI and engaged our senior scientists in the research.

The team found the result after three weeks of hard work, which was than handed over to the BSTI in a sealed envelop on October 15.

"Since the samples were sent by the BSTI, we felt that BSTI should take the lead to disclose the details of the report," Prof Tajmeri said.

Prof Nilufar said BSTI created confusion in public mind by giving misleading reports to the media tarnishing the image of the Dhaka University.

"We were left with no other option but to inform the people ourselves," she added.

She described to the journalists the details of procedure and methods adopted for detecting melamine in milk samples.

"The supplied milk samples were analysed for melamine content by following standard procedures and methodologies," she said.

Solvents, chemicals, reagents, which were required for analysis were either from Merck, Germany or from BDH England, she confirmed.

Prof Nilufar also said melamine was extracted from the milk, cleaned-up and analysed by HPLC-PDA (High performance liquid chromatography having photo diode array detector).

The result showed Nido Fortified Instant contains highest level of melamine, 450miligram per kg and Dano contains lowest level of melamine, 40 miligram per kg.

Other brands, Sweet baby-2, contains 280, in Yashli-1 the level is 140, Yashli-2 holds 290, Anline 200, Diploma 230, and Red Cow 300, milligram per kg melamine.

Regarding a private laboratory, Plasma Plus, findings that has found melamine in only one brand, Yashili 1 milk powder, Prof Nilufar did not say anything.

Sources close to the Plasma Plus said, Plusma Plus is equipment supplier and they don't usually conduct any research.

Though BSTI claimed they have done the tests, sources confirmed that BSTI has no HPLC facilities, which is approved by the FDA.

Meanwhile, representatives of the three multinational companies out of eight, whose products tested positive for melamine content, will meet with the Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman today to explain their product standard.

The three foreign companies are Nestle Bangladesh Limited, Arlafood Bangladesh Limited and New Zealand Dairy Milk Product Limited.