Increasing the public’s health awareness, and ability to make better judgements and review advertisement regulations are needed to enhance food safety education, incoming minister of health and welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.
“Food safety education is very important,” he said, adding that President William Lai’s (賴清德) Healthy Taiwan policy not only focuses on healthcare and National Health Insurance, but also highlights the importance of exercise and nutrition, so nutrition and food safety education must be improved.
The efforts include “increasing public health awareness and literacy, allowing people to recognize and make [good] judgements, and teaching them to review regulations on [food product] advertisements to prevent them from being misled,” he said.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
Shih, currently National Health Insurance Administration director-general, made the remark in response to questions about a video on infant formula uploaded by a chain maternity and baby product store that stirred discussions.
The store, Mamaway, on Tuesday posted a video on social media that said that “more than half of the content in a can of milk powder is sugar, which is equivalent to two large bottles of coke.”
“Your baby is drinking bubble tea [filled with sugar] every meal,” it said, adding that consuming so much sugar might lead to reduced probiotics in the gut microbiome of infants and result in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
As the video had stirred discussions, with physicians also voicing objections and concerns, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday issued a statement refuting the video’s claim, saying that all infant formula products are strictly regulated to protect babies’ health.
All 128 infant formula products approved by the FDA meet the needs of infant growth and development — 6.7g to 7.8g of sugar content per 100mL, which is similar to the lactose in breast milk, it said, adding that that information could be found on its Web site.
The FDA said it encourages breastfeeding, but infant formula is also a good option, adding that parents or caregivers could consult with a doctor, nutritionist or medical professional when choosing a suitable formula for their child.
The video contravened the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) by spreading false information about food safety, so the agency asked the social media platform to take down the video through the Consumer Policy Channel mechanism, the FDA said.
Mamaway on Thursday said that the infant formula it mentioned in the video was actually “toddler formula” for young children aged one years old and higher.
It named two milk powder products and showed their nutrition facts to claim that almost half of the content is sugar.
One of the named brands, Abbott Taiwan, on Friday assured people that their infant and children formula products were safe for consumption, saying that they all follow FDA regulations, and have passed strict quality and food safety review.
Mead Johnson Nutrition (Taiwan) Ltd on Friday also issued a statement saying that all of its products comply with the FDA’s regulations.
Carbohydrates are necessary nutrition for infants and the main source of energy for tissues and cells, and support infants’ physical development and growth, it said.
The company reserves the right to take legal action, it added.
Mamaway on Friday apologized and said it has removed the video due to inaccurate phrasing and to prevent further misunderstanding and unease.
Additional reporting by CNA
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