Food poisoning unlikely in Minalin

Milk intolerance and not food poisoning.

This was one of the conclusions of an initial investigation conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) into the reported food poisoning of schoolchildren in Minalin, Pampanga last March 11.

Magdalene Portia Cariaga, coordinator of the DepEd’s School Milk Project, said in her report that the incident in Minalin "cannot be totally attributed to milk poisoning."

"Milk poisoning can only be proven after the (results of) microbiological tests have been released by the (Bureau of Food and Drugs)," she added.

Cariaga said it was highly probable that most of the students treated and observed "exhibited milk intolerance which is common to Asian people, especially to non-milk drinkers."

The DepEd report also pointed out that the Minalin pupils had taken assorted food products before being fed the chocolate milk product.

Cariaga noted in her report that a total of 252 cases of alleged milk poisoning were treated from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. last March 11. Of the number, 245 were treated with Buscopan and antacid. All patients were discharged on the same day.

She also attributed the high number of schoolchildren brought to the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga or treated or observed for dizziness and stomach pains to "panic" among school administrators, pupils and parents.

The first report of students complaining about stomach pains was recorded at the Sto. Domingo Elementary School after three students were brought to the rural health unit in the area.

As reports of the incident in Sto. Domingo started to spread, parents of students in two other schools — Lourdes and San Isidro elementary schools — came and demanded that their children be brought to the hospital.

Cariaga said the proximity of the schools affected might have contributed to the panic reaction of school officials, parents and schoolchildren.

The milk product was manufactured by Alaska Milk Corp. (AMC) but was being distributed by the DepEd under the School Milk Project which Sen. Franklin Drilon funded.

Earlier, BFAD regulation officer Rosario Martin said it was unlikely that the Minalin incident was caused by the chocolate milk product the schoolchildren had consumed.

"Our findings based on physical and chemical analysis showed that the chocolate milk product (Minalin samples) was typical of a chocolate drink," Martin said.

Martin said the bureau’s physical and chemical analysis showed that there could be other factors involved.

In a press briefing in Minalin, Santiago Polido, AMC corporate affairs director, said an investigation which the firm conducted showed that the affected pupils had eaten buns and pizza supplied by their teachers.

Prescilla Dizon, the DepEd’s nutrition supervisor in Pampanga, said she has asked four teachers to shed light on the AMC’s finding.

Polido insisted that the milk product was not spoiled. The AMC has sent milk samples to Singapore for laboratory tests, and the results, he said, are expected next week. — With Ding Cervantes