Chon Buri husband and wife arrested over contaminated sausages

A Chon Buri husband and wife have been arrested for producing contaminated sausages and food. The couple reportedly admitted to the charges of offending various Food Health and Safety Acts by producing unlicensed food with no labels. The two suspects so far are only identified as 38 year old Mr. Sinart, and Ms. Raktawee, who’s age is not reported.

Now, Sinart and Raktawee face anywhere from 6 months to 10 years in prison, a fine of 5,000-100,000 baht, or both. The Consumer Protection Police Division of Chon Buri Police reported that they arrested the couple from a house where they allegedly produced the contaminated goods.

In February, a factory in Chon Buri was reported to produce sausages that gave 9 children across Thailand a blood disorder. The disorder, methemoglobinemia, causes red blood cells to have abnormal amounts of methemoglobin, according to the FDA Deputy Secretary General Withit Saritdeechaikul.

“This can make people dizzy and fatigued, and short of breath. People who have it severely can get blue hands and feet, and even die.”

Local police and officials from the Food and Drug Administration inspected the factory and talked to the owner after labels on the factory’s products matched what the children had eaten. The products had no FDA approval, and the chief of the Consumer Protection Police Division said the factory did not pass good manufacturing standards, or “GMS.” The factory had 32 brands and some products showed halal certificates.

Last month, Thailand’s FDA secretary-general urged consumers to check packaging to make sure sausages have official FDA seals before they buy them. The legal limit on the number of nitrates per kilogram of food in Thailand is 80 grams. Out of 44 sausage samples the FDA tested far, half were found to contain unsafe levels of nitrites.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News