Sri Lanka is still awaiting a report from a Singapore laboratory that is testing samples of imported milk powder for the presence of the chemical melamine.
According to Consumer Affairs Authority chairman Rumy Marzook, the report should arrive next week. He said he did not expect any contamination as all imported items, including milk powder, were rigorously examined under the country’s stringent regulations relating to imported food items.
The move follows the recent scandal over melamine-contaminated infant milk powder coming from China. Samples were randomly taken from the open market and sent for testing. The milk-related products come from several companies, including Fonterra Lanka, Nestle, Maliban and Kotmale.
P. Madarasinghe, assistant director of the Food Control Administration Unit of the Ministry of Health, said 36 samples of milk powder were sent for analysis.
“We also sent samples to a laboratory in India that has international accreditation for conducting this particular test,” he said, adding that it usually takes more than 10 days to complete such a laboratory test and submit a report. | 
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