NewsWhore
05-03-2010, 04:30 PM
The Ministry of Education has once more suspended the purchase of milk for schoolchildren from Lacteos Dominicanos (LADOM), the largest supplier of milk to the nation's school breakfast programs. Education Minister Melanio Paredes announced the decision came after he concluded the company "had a serious credibility and trust problem" within the school population. Within the same week, children at public schools in the northeastern province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez and a further 21 at a school in San Pedro de Macoris suffered food poisoning after drinking the milk. Although Paredes initially said that the children in Maria Trinidad Sanchez had been hospitalized for "intolerance" to milk, most observers doubted the statement. The San Pedro cases proved to be the tipping point for the decision to suspend sourcing from the company.
The Ministry has suspended purchasing milk supplies from Ladom for the rest of the year. In a press release, Paredes said that LADOM does not provide "sufficient guarantees that their products will stop causing illness or other health problems in the child population..."
Paredes pointed out that food poisoning is only known to have happened at schools receiving supplies from Ladom. Children at schools receiving supplies from other companies have not been affected.
The Ministry of Education, nevertheless, says they will continue to source "juice" drinks from the company. Leading cattle rancher Cesareo Contreras recently criticized the government contracts with Ladom, saying that they were not serving milk or juice in their preparations, but flavored water.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
The Ministry has suspended purchasing milk supplies from Ladom for the rest of the year. In a press release, Paredes said that LADOM does not provide "sufficient guarantees that their products will stop causing illness or other health problems in the child population..."
Paredes pointed out that food poisoning is only known to have happened at schools receiving supplies from Ladom. Children at schools receiving supplies from other companies have not been affected.
The Ministry of Education, nevertheless, says they will continue to source "juice" drinks from the company. Leading cattle rancher Cesareo Contreras recently criticized the government contracts with Ladom, saying that they were not serving milk or juice in their preparations, but flavored water.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)