DHAKA, July 31, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque today said no harmful chemicals, including lead and chromium, were found in the samples of pasteurized milk.
“Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) sent samples of eight pasteurized milk to Chennai SGS International Laboratory for test…the results of Chennai laboratory and BARC are similar as no harmful chemicals were found in the samples of milk of eight companies,” said the minister while addressing a press briefing at the ministry conference room at secretariat here.
Razzaque also said no lead, chromium, sulfa drug and their residue were not found in the samples of Milk Vita, Pran, Aarong, Farm Fresh, Igloo, RD and Savar Dairy.
In the samples, the presence of Chlorampheenicol was found while the ratio of the chemical is only 0.1 microgram in per kilogram of milk which is tolerable for human body and there is no risk of drinking the locally produced milk, the minister informed the briefing arranged to reveal the test results of pasteurized milk’s samples.
Mentioning BARC as the apex body of research works, the minister said an accredited laboratory will be set up to remove all kinds of confusion or panic regarding food.
Chairman of BARC Kabir Ikramul Haque, secretary to the agricultural ministry Md Nasiruzzaman and senior officials of the fisheries and livestock ministry and livestock services department were present in the press briefing.
It is mentionable that a High Court Division bench of Bangladesh recently ordered the state agencies to stop production, distribution, sale, purchase and consumption of pasteurized milk of 14 companies for the five weeks over presence of harmful chemicals.