The Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) has warned the public against drinking Fonterra milk powder following a recall from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). RBS has so far intercepted one tonne of Fonterra milk powder bound for Rwanda from New Zealand, according to Philip Nzaire, the body’s quality assurance director. “We have already impounded 1,125 kilograms of this contaminated milk powder which we will destroy very soon,” he said in an interview on Thursday. He noted that the standards body is currently working with the Ministry of Health and customs officials to ensure that the product does not penetrate the Rwandan market. The Director General of RBS, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, stressed in a statement that the milk is contaminated with a chemical known as Dicyandiamide DCD which poses health risks to consumers. He called upon importers to present certificates of analysis from New Zealand government laboratories before they can engage in any kind of trade. Dicyandiamide DCD is a chemical compound used by farmers to reduce the negative effects of greenhouse gas emission and nitrate leaching into waterways. Some farmers use it to promote the growth of pasture where animals graze. Traces of dicyandiamide were found in milk produced by Fonterra in September 2012. On January 24, 2013, Fonterra announced that it was suspending the manufacturing of the milk powder, following the discovery of ‘very low levels’ of DCD in test samples of the product. Fonterra, which is the worlds largest dairy exporter, has since resumed production despite concerns worldwide. Many countries, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also recently restricted Fonterra milk powder.
