The Health Bureau (SSM), in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau (ISAF) and the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), announced in a joint statement yesterday that removing infant formula posing a possible food-safety risk from shelves is an internationally accepted practice.
Last Saturday, the three bureaus ordered the withdrawal of a Dutch infant formula, “Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 Infant Formula” (imported by FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Ltd), after a sample was found to contain 0.2 mg/kg of lead. This exceeded the maximum legal limit of 0.02 mg/kg for lead in infant formula as stipulated in Macau’s Maximum Limits of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Food.
In response to the case, the Health Bureau has also arranged for the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre (CHCSJ), the public Macao Union Hospital (informally known as Hip Woh) in Cotai, and the private Kiang Wu Hospital to set up a green channel for paediatric emergency care.
According to yesterday’s statement, 48 cans of the affected product had been recalled as of Wednesday. In addition, expanded random testing of 28 other samples from the same brand revealed no irregularities.
Between July 25 and 29, a total of 156 telephone enquiries were received, among which 43 callers made appointments for outpatient consultations, and nine callers attended paediatric emergency services. The statement added that among all those who sought medical attention, no cases of lead poisoning emergencies were identified.
The three bureaus emphasised that because long-term excessive lead intake in infants and young children can affect neurological development, even a single sample exceeding the limit necessitates preventive removal of the risky products from shelves in accordance with the law – an approach that aligns with standard international practice. Local officials have already met with the brand’s general distributor, manufacturer, and importer for follow-up action, yesterday’s statement said.
Undated file photo of a can of Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 Infant Formula 800g – Photo courtesy of foodpanda
