AVA says coloured plastic utensils in Singapore safe for
use
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority
(AVA) said on Thursday that tests conducted on coloured plastic
utensils here have shown they are safe for use.
This followed reports by Taiwanese media that six out of
41 samples of coloured straws, plastic stirrers and spoons
contained lead exceeding permitted levels. The checks were
conducted by the consumers' association there.
AVA said in testing the safety of food-contact articles,
it is essential to analyse the migration levels of
contaminants.
Only contaminants that have migrated from a food utensil
to be ingested by the user will pose a safety risk associated with
the ingestion of the contaminants.
However, it said the report from the Taiwan Consumer
Association did not report on the results of tests to determine the
levels of lead that would migrate out of the six samples of plastic
cutlery when in use - to enable an appropriate assessment of the
safety risk of the findings.
Some retail outlets in Taiwan have begun removing affected
products from their shelves.
- CNA/so