[kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk

Mon Feb 11 07:34:46 EAT 2013

Very unfortunate indeed, Stephen has now resulted to a war with me off
list.

See below and judge for yourself what COFEK is most likely to be about.

On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 10:45 PM, stephen Mutoro <smutoro at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Thanks Dorcas,
>
> I wasn't too sure I ought to reply to you further. But after seeing the
> post below, I decided I should as follows;
>
> You may wish to over-stretch your argument in the manner you want and for
> reasons best known to yourself. As far as we are concerned, we have no
> apologies for calling yours a "hear-say". From your initial email - you
> simply attended "several presentations" where it was mentioned, that is it!
> You thereafter have no idea in what way, proportions, by whom and from
> which part of the country the dangerous offense that has potential to bring
> down a whole industry is concerned. Perhaps you over-rated us that you
> equally failed to report the issue first to the milk regulator - KDB.
> Unfortunately you decided this is the only basis you can judge our
> competence. While I wouldn't cast aspersions on you, the way you did on
> Cofek, I can simply say this - if you have no confidence in us, we respect
> your right to your debatable opinion.
>
> Allow us our opinion too - that like Meshack Emakunat puts it (in a more
> diplomatic way), Cofek and I will not act on alarmist hear-says which  only
> condemn without solutions. We are not about grabbing newspaper headlines
> with unproven allegations. The list of such allegations are countless i.e
> that butchers use the same formalin to preserve unsold meat. All that could
> be true. But unless they are proven by competent authorities, they will
> remain sensational non-sense. What a consumer body does as we are already
> doing - is not to suggest to consumers what is recommended. Why? If you
> condemned company x making brand y milk, that company x will simply switch
> to brand z which would be the same as what would have been condemned!
>
> Finally, if you don't mind, subscribe to the "Consumer Pride" mailing
> list, coming soon, when will announce a joint Consumer Dialogue Forum with
> the Kenya Dairy Board on milk safety. You can, if still interested attend
> and put your question straight to your real target. Thanks again,
>
> Regards,
> Stephen
>
>
>   ------------------------------
> *From:* meshack emakunat <memakunat at yahoo.com>
> *To:* smutoro at yahoo.com
> *Cc:* Meshack <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> *Sent:* Sunday, February 10, 2013 9:20 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk
>
> Am sure most food scientist present in the list will find it amusing that
> milk processors are adding formalin in milk for the purposes of
> preservation.considering all the approved milk preservasion process like
> packaging homoniginazation and pasturrization process that milk processors
> invest in. Such accusation can damage a whole industry and its
> dependents(farmers employees and other beneficiaries. I only wish that you
> clarify which milk processors considering that there are many dozens of
> milk processors from licenced to local unlicensed. Example we have kcc,
> brookside,sameer and on the other hand distribution from farmer to
> consumer(direct to consumer) without the value addition process which are
> more likely to be the culprits ( maziwa ya ngombe) unlike. (Maziwa ya
> packet) processed milk
>
>
> Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android
>
>  ------------------------------
> * From: * Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>;
> * To: * <memakunat at yahoo.com>;
> * Cc: * KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>;
> * Subject: * Re: [kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk
> * Sent: * Wed, Feb 6, 2013 7:32:47 PM
>
>   Dear Stephen,
>
> I feel sorry about your reply below to me.
>
> To be very honest with you, a lot of Kenyan consumers would respect you
> (person and COFEK at large) more if you focused on dealing with such issues
> and not passing the buck to consumers who send you alerts.
>
> I am actually very amazed that you refer to my consumer alert as a
> "hear-say".
>
> Stephen, i really do wish COFEK the best. I am afraid, if you not have a
> credible consumer protection strategy, COFEK may indirectly/directly lead
> to consumer sabotage.
>
> NB: I have never communicated with COFEK on Facebook but only on email and
> addressed to yourself.
>
> Muthoni
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 5:48 PM, stephen Mutoro <smutoro at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I am sure we did reply to you. My office says that there was a reply and
> especially on our Facebook page. Sorry if we didn't. But I am sure you will
> appreciate that we can only do as much as our capacity can allow
> considering we have no own laboratory; we are not funded by the taxpayer
> and that we cannot act on hear-says. I wish you appreciated that this was
> immediately on our website and lots of sensitization achieved
> http://www.cofek.co.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1124:milk-with-formalin-as-additives-anyone-to-help-muthoni&catid=1:latest-newsFinally, such issues are continuous as we held a Consumer Dialogue Forum on
> food additive at InterContinental on September 12 and that issue was in my
> remarks. The Chief Public Health Officer Dr Ombacho discounted the fears
> and pledged investigations. Hope it suffices. Regards
>
>
>   ------------------------------
> *From:* Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
>  *To:* smutoro at yahoo.com
> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:42 PM
> *Subject:* [kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk
>
> I know milk has nothing to do with ICT but i shared this concern with
> COFEK and they ignored it. Which consumers or issues do COFEK prefer to
> deal with? Just asking for those saying they act for the public......
>
> *See more below..
> *
>
> *Summary*:
>
> =======================================================================================================
> Dear Stephen,
>
>  I have attended several presentations that have indicated that many milk
> processing companies in Kenya are using formalin to preserve milk sold to
> consumers.
>
> Formalin is a chemical normally used to preserve dead bodies. Formalin has
> many negative impacts on human health. If it becomes part of food, it turns
> into formic acid in human body and increases acidity level. More intake of
> formalin can cause breathing problems, coma and even death.
>
> US Environment Protection Agency and International Agency for Research on
> Cancer count formalin as one of the cancer-causing agents.
>
> Can COFEK try and investigate this.
>
> With so many deaths being reported from cancer and every urban dweller
> entirely dependent on milk from the shops right from early childhood, we
> are very exposed if this is actually true.
>
> Stephen, please advice if you shall investigate this further and protect
> the consumer.
>
> I am sure you are also consuming these products every day.
>
> Regards,
> Muthoni
>
>
> =======================================================================================================
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Dorcas Muthoni* <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
> Date: Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 3:24 PM
> Subject: Re: Formalin in Milk
> To: hotline at cofek.co.ke
> Cc: jack juma <jack at cofek.co.ke>, Theresia Watowa <theresia at cofek.co.ke>
>
>
> Sorry, what else do you want to know? This last line is not clear.
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:50 AM, Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) <
> hotline at cofek.co.ke> wrote:
>
> **
> Ok but can we know who you please
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> ------------------------------
> *From: * Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Fri, 7 Sep 2012 09:39:53 +0300
> *To: *<hotline at cofek.co.ke>
> *Cc: *jack juma<jack at cofek.co.ke>; Theresia Watowa<theresia at cofek.co.ke>
> *Subject: *Re: Formalin in Milk
>
> Stephen,
>
> I don't have evidence but Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) and KEBS
> should be able to provide accountability because the milk producers are all
> showing the KEBS logo for quality.
>
> I am a layman in this, just very concerned about because presentations are
> coming from health and nutrition experts talking about this.
>
> Please try and see what you can do for the consumer.
>
> Many thanks,
> Muthoni
>
> On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:30 AM, Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) <
> hotline at cofek.co.ke> wrote:
>
> **
> It is being acted upon although you never provided any facts and
> supporting evidence
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> ------------------------------
> *From: * Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Fri, 7 Sep 2012 09:27:10 +0300
> *To: *<hotline at cofek.co.ke>
> *Cc: *<stephen at cofek.co.ke>
> *Subject: *Re: Formalin in Milk
>
> Dear Stephen,
>
> I thought COFEK would acknowledge receipt if this email and say whether is
> an area you will look into or not.
>
> Regards,
> Muthoni
>
> On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 12:33 PM, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> Dear Stephen,
>
> I have attended several presentations that have indicated that many milk
> processing companies in Kenya are using formalin to preserve milk sold to
> consumers.
>
> Formalin is a chemical normally used to preserve dead bodies. Formalin has
> many negative impacts on human health. If it becomes part of food, it turns
> into formic acid in human body and increases acidity level. More intake of
> formalin can cause breathing problems, coma and even death.
>
> US Environment Protection Agency and International Agency for Research on
> Cancer count formalin as one of the cancer-causing agents.
>
> Can COFEK try and investigate this.
>
> With so many deaths being reported from cancer and every urban dweller
> entirely dependent on milk from the shops right from early childhood, we
> are very exposed if this is actually true.
>
> Stephen, please advice if you shall investigate this further and protect
> the consumer.
>
> I am sure you are also consuming these products every day.
>
> Regards,
> Muthoni
>
>
>
>
> --
> Muthoni
>
> My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/
> --------------------------------------------
> Mahatma Gandhi once said:-
>
> First they ignore you,
> Then they laugh at you,
> Then they fight you,
> AND THEN YOU WIN!!!
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
>
>
>
> --
> Muthoni
>
> My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/
> --------------------------------------------
> Mahatma Gandhi once said:-
>
> First they ignore you,
> Then they laugh at you,
> Then they fight you,
> AND THEN YOU WIN!!!
>
> _______________________________________________
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> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
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>
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/smutoro%40yahoo.com
>
> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>
>

-- 
Muthoni

My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
Mahatma Gandhi once said:-

First they ignore you,
Then they laugh at you,
Then they fight you,
AND THEN YOU WIN!!!
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