Ministry to conduct thorough analysis on all Cadbury products – Bernama

The Health Ministry will conduct a thorough analysis on all Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia Sdn Bhd products soon to ensure that they are not contaminated by pig DNA (porcine).

This followed the detection of porcine in the samples of Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond in the recent analysis done by the ministry.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the results of the analysis, however, would only be known in the next several months because they would have to undergo several processes and procedures before the results could be finalised.

"At present, the ministry is investigating Cadbury under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 to ascertain whether Cadbury had with or without intention put the pig DNA in their dairy milk chocolate products," he told a press conference today.

Subramaniam also did not dismiss the possibility that the pig DNA found in the two samples was due to contamination along the production chain.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism (KPDNKK) enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin said operators of premises found to have insisted in selling the two Cadbury products which had been recalled two days ago, would face a fine of up to RM100,000 or three years' jail, or both, if convicted.

He said the sentences were provided under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and the operators of the premises could also be the retailers, distributors or manufacturers.

"For a corporation, they could face a maximum fine of RM250,000," he told a reporters.

Roslan said instruction had also been issued to all KPDNKK enforcement offices nationwide to monitor the sales of the two chocolate products, including in duty-free shops at airports.

"We have delegated the power to 212 Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and state Islamic religious departments' officers nationwide to carry out the enforcement operation," he said. – Bernama, May 26, 2014.