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Champika’s claim of DCD in dansal ice cream raises heat
A controversy is brewing over a claim by Technology and Research Minister Champika Ranawaka that DCD (Dicyandiamide) contaminated ice cream was served at dansals on Poson Poya day with the Health Ministry’s Food Advisory Committee (FAC) calling for the report of the tests carried out by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI).
FAC has appointed a panel comprising a former Government Analyst, a Deputy Government Analyst and Colombo’s Chief Chemist to analyse the results of ITI that comes under the Ministry of Technology and Research.
Last week FAC held a meeting following Mr. Ranawaka’s public statement that ice-cream made with DCD- contaminated milk powder was distributed at some dansals on Poson Poya day.
Former Government Analyst and FAC member E. G. Somapala said the committee had asked ITI to submit reports on how the samples of ice cream were collected, how they were tested, the levels of DCD found and which brands had contained DCD.
“Health authorities knew about this only when Minister Ranawaka appeared before the media and stated that DCD was found in ice-cream distributed at Poson dansals. The FAC is the state body that looks into food safety and the ITI did not even inform us about their sample testing and neither have we received any report on the sample tests,” he said.
He said on previous occasions it was the FAC that had recommended DCD tests being carried out after sending samples to Singapore for further analysis.
Mr. Somapala said under the Food Act authorised officers such as food and drug inspectors or public health inspectors (PHIs) can carry out raids, and if ITI had revealed the brand of the ice cream or milk powder the Health Ministry could have immediately instructed raids .
The former Government Analyst said a stock of milk powder brought in to the country in 2012 suspected to have been DCD-infected was ordered by courts to be destroyed. The stocks are stored securely and are being destroyed in batches at the Holcim cement factory.
Meanwhile ITI Director General Dr. S.Premakumra said four ice cream samples collected in Colombo suburbs during Poson had been tested and two of them contained DCD.
“We did not consult the Health Ministry or the Food Advisory Committee as we got direct instructions from Minister Champika Ranawaka. The test report is a confidential one and it will be submitted by our Minister to the Health Minister,” he said.
FAC secretary Dr. T.B.A. Jayalal said that the Health Ministry was investigating the claim by ITI.
“It has been established world-wide that there are no serious health impacts of DCD and there is noneed to panic or worry about consuming ice-cream. The milk powder in the country is safe to consume as they are being tested for DCD,” he assured.
DCD, (dicyandiamide), is a chemical substance used in agriculture and is being used in New Zealand for over a decade to lower the environmental impact on livestock.