Bacterial findings ES In Infant Milk Products

Government asked to immediately pull the product formula and baby cereal tainted with the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii. "The bacteria, consumers can not see it. They just feel when they are affected. Therefore, better food contaminated materials should be taken off the market," said Chairman YLKI cited Husna Zahir Legal, Sunday (24 / 2).

Husna says the withdrawal of the product needs to be done pending the outcome of government decisions related to the findings. "While waiting for a joint team work, the government could pull the contaminated products, so consumers are not harmed," he said.

That discovery raised related Husna researchers Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) of the existence of Enterobacter sakazakii in infant formula and children pap. This type of bacteria can cause meningitis. Based on the results of a study of 74 samples of infant formula, 13.5 percent of them contain toxic bacteria. Three of the 46 pulp samples are also contaminated baby milk bacteria.

"Initially we just wanted to investigate the cause of diarrhea in infants, but I'm actually surprised by the discovery of Enterobacter sakazakii, Escherichia coli bacteria are not often found it," said Lead researcher IPB, Sri Estuningsih, who is also an expert on cows milk and your child's diet.

According to him, the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii is very dangerous. Besides can cause meningitis, bacteria that can cause intestinal inflammation and tissue inflammation throughout the body. "Moreover, infant formula and infant cereal was given to many children aged under one year. This is very dangerous," he said.

This research was conducted since 2003 and continue to be improved, before finally published the National Agency for Drug and Food (POM). However, for reasons POM had no authority, a new study followed up in meetings with related agencies, Saturday (23 / 2).

Sri explained, findings of bacteria Enterobacter sakazakii in infant formula and baby cereal just followed up by the government, by forming a joint team to investigate the case. "We, (Saturday) has conducted a meeting yesterday with the relevant institutions in the Office of the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss our findings," he said.

According to him, based on the results of that meeting it was decided the formation of a joint team from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, POM, and the research team conducted extensive research IPB it. "Later, each team will work in accordance with its capacity," he said.

Department of Health, for example, will examine the process of manufacture. Department of Agriculture on basic materials, and the POM will make approaches to the manufacturer. "After this work a joint team, will be determined concrete steps," said Sri.

Announced Soon

Meanwhile, the public demanded that the government or the Balai Besar POM Bandung scanning immediately around issues of infant formula and baby porridge suspected to contain Enterobacter sakazakii. It was necessary to avoid the unwanted effects.

"But more importantly, the government immediately announced a porridge of milk and infant formula with problems, so that people can avoid these poisonous products," said Dewi, a mother of two children in the Pasteur who claimed to know about it from the internet.

As "homework" to ask for confirmation about the matter to the Balai Besar POM in Bandung, they said have not received information about the issue of POM. "I actually just found out the problem from one of the electronic media this afternoon," said Head of Certification and Consumer Information Services Balai Besar POM Bandung, Dra. Siti Nuraniyah to "PR", Sunday (24 / 2).

"Usually, if there is a problem that must be followed, Balai Besar POM Bandung receive fax, and from there then we can do further action, according to a given task. But since last Friday, we did not receive any letter," he said.