Beware & Protect Yourself 03 (Sep 10 - Dec 14)

[winston]

Tainted foods offer more than a taste of toxin by Alice So
Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Two-thirds of food samples tested by the Centre for Food Safety were found to contain a pollutant that may cause cancer and damage the immune system.

But the center said the average monthly consumption of the chemical - dioxin - is just 22 units, well below the permissible level of 70.

Mandarin fish, oysters and pomfret were found to contain the highest levels of dioxin and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

Among all food groups, fish and seafood and products made from them contained the highest level.

This was followed by eggs and their products, fats and oils, and meat, poultry and game and their products.

A total of 142 samples were tested to determine the dietary exposure of the population to the substances and to assess the associated health risks.

Testing was done on 71 different types of food purchased and cooked from June to November last year out of a total of 426 individual food samples taken.

Food safety officer (risk assessment) Xiao Ying said: "Dioxins persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain.

"High concentrations of such toxins are found in food of animal origin - meat, dairy products, eggs and fish."

The main sources of these substances are environmental contaminants, she noted.

Dioxin is created through industrial processes and the burning of waste while PCBs are manufactured for use as coolants and insulating fluids.

Center consultant Philip Ho Yuk-yin said those in general are unlikely to experience serious health issues from the chemicals.

"I suggest Hongkongers trim the fat from meat and consume low-fat dairy products, while avoiding excessive consumption of a narrow range of food items," he said.

"It is key to have a balanced diet, which includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables."

Ho added that consuming a moderate amount of a variety of fish is important and recommended.

Fish contains many essential nutrients, such as Omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins, he added.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_deta ... 11214&fc=4

[winston]

Recycled cooking oil sold as new in Malaysia

Malaysia's Health Ministry said yesterday it will investigate claims that recycled cooking oil is being sold for human consumption at grocery stores and supermarkets across the country.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said legal action would be taken against errant manufacturers, after The Star newspaper published reports that 19 brands of 1kg cooking oil packets sold nationwide were found to have been made from cooking oil recycled from hotels and restaurants.

The newspaper reported that the Malaysian Association of Standards Users had sent the oil samples for testing to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

The oil, if used repeatedly, could lead to hypertension, liver damage and potentially cause cancer, experts warned.

http://www.todayonline.com/World/Worldi ... n-Malaysia

[winston]

How to Avoid Dangerous EMR

While avoiding all EMR is impossible, the risk for radiation exposure can be decreased by taking the following measures:

1) Eliminating Wi-Fi in the home and using instead a hard-wired broadband connection.

2) Replacing cordless phones (which give off dangerous levels of radiation even when not in use, because their base is constantly looking for a signal), with a hard-wired phone.

3) Reducing/eliminating cell phone use. Using the speaker phone option on the phone slightly reduces EMR exposure. Blue tooth devices and headsets do not protect the brain from EMR, contrary to popular belief.

4) Draping a Faraday cage over the bed. This is a silver-lined mosquito net that filters out 99% of high-frequency EMR.

5) Considering purchasing scientifically-proven EMR protective devices for the home and body, such as EMR-protective clothing for the body and shielding paint for the home.

http://www.yolohealthrevolution.com/arc ... y%20140%25

[winston]

Shame ! Shame !

52 in cooking oil scam

At least 52 people have been arrested for making and selling cooking oil dredged up from restaurant gutters, state media reported, in the latest food safety scandal.

Investigators found that a company in Jiangxi province had made more than 2,000 tonnes of "gutter oil" since 2010, which it sold to a feed- processing firm in neighboring Guangdong province, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

The oil was then sold to restaurants around the region after "being mixed with quality cooking oil and labeled with unregistered trademarks," the report added.

Cooking oil safety scandals have surfaced periodically nationwide in recent years, and pictures of oil being scooped up from drains have circulated widely online to public revulsion, denting government claims to be addressing food safety problems.

China has struggled to rein in health safety violations despite tough penalties and repeated vows to crack down.

Since July, courts have sentenced at least a dozen people to jail for their roles in producing or selling pork tainted with toxic chemicals.


Source: REUTERS

[winston]

Malaysian motorists hit by repair scam

They are known as "mechanics on wheels".

But these are not the kind and helpful Samaritans you'd like to meet on the road in Malaysia.

Authorities up north have warned motorists about these so-called mechanics who prey on lone drivers, reported The Star yesterday.

What they'll do is claim that there is something wrong with your car, and offer on-the-spot repairs at exorbitant prices.

City CID chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Ku Chin Wah, in Kuala Lumpur, said: "One of their most common tactics is to throw diesel on the wheel of your car, causing it to emit smoke due to the heat and friction."

After that, they get the attention of the driver and volunteer to fix the car.

The "mechanic" leads the victim to a deserted area where he pretends to check the vehicle.

The victim is then told that his car parts have malfunctioned, added Mr Ku.

INFLATED PRICE

The so-called mechanic will then kindly offer to replace the parts for him.

The part is repainted and sold back to the unknowing victim at an inflated price.

Added Mr Ku: "They may seem like good Samaritans trying to help you, but the best thing to do is to ignore them and go to a trusted mechanic."

The police, who have received several reports about the scam, have cautioned motorists to remain in their vehicles and not to be fooled by the mechanic impersonators.

Malaysian journalist T T Kitt, 24, said that he almost fell victim to the scam while driving along the Federal Highway on Thursday.

He was alerted to smoke coming from his front tyre by a motorcyclist.

He stopped his car and the motorcyclist, who claimed to be a mechanic, said his brake pump was faulty and he could get a new part for him.

This man returned about 30 minutes later with what he claimed was a new part, installed it, and asked for RM1,800 (S$740).

Mr Kitt managed to contact the police and the man subsequently left after the journalist decided not to make a police report then.

Mr Kitt's own mechanic later confirmed that the parts installed were actually the original ones from his car, but spray-painted gold.

He said that several of his clients had fallen victim to this scam.

Mr Kitt made a police report later.

Another motorist, who declined to be named, said he had a similar experience a few months ago.

These motorcyclists - who wore T-shirts with the logo of a petrol station and claimed to work there - took him to an isolated place and tried to sell him his repainted car parts for about RM1,000.

He said: "I told them I could not pay and they got angry. I had to call some friends over before they left."

http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Ne ... 17248.html

[winston]

Bird nest delicacy could cause cancer

Cancer causing chemicals were recently detected in consignments of bird nests from Malaysia.

This is the latest in a string of controversies involving the expensive delicacy made from cave swifts` saliva.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/he ... 15025.html

[winston]

Toxin found in Chinese milk

China has discovered excessive levels of a cancer-causing toxin in milk produced by one of the nation's leading dairy companies, the firm said, in the latest in a series of food safety alarms.

The government's quality watchdog found high levels of an aflatoxin, which is caused by mould, in milk produced by the Mengniu Dairy Group, the company said in a statement issued Sunday.

Mengniu said the milk, produced at one of its plants in the southwestern province of Sichuan, was tested before being sold, so the contaminated milk never reached the market.

China is trying to crack down on product safety violations to reassure citizens and restore faith in the government after a series of high-profile scandals.

Milk was at the centre of China's biggest food safety scandal in 2008, when the industrial chemical melamine was found to have been illegally added to dairy products, to give the appearance of higher protein content.

At least six babies died and another 300,000 became ill after drinking milk tainted with melamine.

Product safety problems have been found in goods ranging from pharmaceuticals to cooking oil. In September, the government arrested 32 people over the sale of cooking oil made from leftovers taken from gutters.

Aflatoxins can be found in milk after cows consume feed contaminated by mould and can increase the risk of cancer, including liver cancer, according to the World Health Organisation.

Mengniu said the products had been destroyed, and apologised to consumers.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine made the latest discovery in nationwide testing of 200 dairy products made by 128 companies, the agency said separately.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/toxin-found-ch ... 20730.html

[winston]

Cooking oil alert as deadly toxin found
Friday, December 30, 2011

Authorities have recalled cooking oils produced by three firms because they contain a cancer-causing toxin that was found in milk recently.

A safety agency in Guangdong ordered a halt to production at plants operated by Fusheng Oil, Manyi Peanut Oil and Mabao Oil.

The oils made from peanuts had excessive levels of aflatoxin, which is caused by mould. The World Health Organization has linked it to liver cancer and other forms of the disease.

Dairy firm Mengniu revealed at the weekend that high levels of aflatoxin were found in milk before it was sold.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

[winston]

Govt rejects 13 tons of bad Malaysian shrimp Jakarta Post

The Marine Affairs and Fishery Ministry has rejected and returned 13.04 tons of shrimp from Malaysia with white-spot-syndrome virus.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011 ... hrimp.html

[iam802]

Read on Facebook

POSB Withdrawal Fraud!

Just came back from the bank to realise that my account has been hacked into. There has been 4 transactions made from overseas ATM machines with withdrawals up to $2000 over a 2 day period!! & my ATM card is here with me in my wallet!

The POSb branch Manager has confirmed that there has been more then one of such cases reported since yesterday!

& I have no internet banking nor paypal accounts!

Am pending the investigations now..

Please check your accounts or update your bankbook my dear friends!