Chao Dai fish banned after 100 get sick
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a nationwide ban on the sale of Chao Doi canned fish products, which had been donated to flood victims in the South but caused hundreds to become sick from apparent food poisoning.
FDA secretary general Dr Pipat Yingseri said: "I have ordered provincial public health officers across country to pull all [Chao Doi] canned fish products off the shelves that are being sold in local markets."
The food-watch agency is studying the legal process on whether to charge the company for violating the law by illegally producing canned fish and other canned food items after its factory was closed by the local public health office due to a substandard production process and producing poor quality products.
The company could face a fine of up to Bt30,000 and see bosses jailed for up to three years due to the substandard factory. It could also face a fine of Bt50,000 to Bt100,000, plus jail terms of six months to 10 years for the firm's bosses for fraudulent food production or fake labelling, he said.
The move follows reports that over 100 flood victims in Phatthalung became nauseous and vomited after eating canned fish donated by a Phatthalung man who does business in Bangkok and wanted to help residents in his home town.
The products' label shows cans of fish were produced by Thong King Kaew company located at Samut Sakhon's Krathum Baen district and distributed by Thai AD Food Co Ltd.
The product lot was manufactured on December 24, 2008 and due to expire on December 24, 2011.
FDA inspector said that Samut Sakhon's public health office had ordered company to close the factory but it was allegedly still illegally producing canned fish.
The inspector also learnt that cans of fish were allegedly kept at a separate storehouse and not the factory permitted by authorities.
Pipat said the inspector also found other canned food items that contained vegetables, mushrooms and fruit. Most did not have labels, while some pre-packaged products had labels printed after the manufacturing date.
He said the agency had confiscated these products and looking at the possibility of laying charges against the company.
Social Development and Human Security Minister Witoon Nambutr gave a short interview to the press about the problem before yesterday's Cabinet meeting. He said an individual had donated "rotten canned fish" to flood victims - it was not purchased by the ministry.
He has ordered officials to set up a committee to check the quality of items donated to victims of natural disasters, and said purchases of such items must be transparent and comply with government regulations.
A former member of Phatthalung's provincial association, Wichen Sommat,who donated the canned fish, said he was questioned about the matter and whether the cans of fish belonged to him or not.
He said after learning that his home town was flooded, he had asked staff to donate stuff including canned fish to flood victims in Phatthalung. He also asked his friends to provide people to help flood victims.
So he was not sure if the Chao Doi cans of rotten fish which caused over 100 people to be sick came from him.
"I do not know if I am a scapegoat for this scandal or not, and I am not sure that these cans of fish, Chao Doi brand, came from me because many people donated stuff to flood victims. But I am sure that I donated canned fish," he said.
When asked if he knew the minister Witoon, or not, he said he was a merchant and did not know politicians, but said some of his friends might know them.
The Nation Jan. 21, 2009
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