The use of whey in dairy products divides the sector

Ecuadornews:

While some producers and ranchers demand the elimination of the norms that suppor tthe use of the derivative of milk, the industrialists assure that the measure would give way to an informal market and to contraband.

In front of the manifestations of several associations of farmers and milk producers that demand the elimination of the norms regarding the use of these rum for human consumption, this Wednesday (November 21), the Center of the Milky Industry (CIL) rejected such claims.

The CIL defended the use of serum arguing that this substance is used by the industry in the country since 2005, initially without control, but from 2011 were issue dstrict regulations that make possible its use by the entire productive chain of the sector.

Rodrigo Gallegos, executive director of CIL, said that the Codex Alimentarius, which contains standards of practices, guidelines and recommendations from entities such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the United States Agency for the Regulation of Foods (FDA), contemplates the use of whey as an ingredient for the production of food for humans, both in liquid form and in powder form.

“We reject any attempt to negatively connote whey, milk powder or any other dairy derivative, in that sense, we have opened the door to any control initiative that has been implemented by the Government,” said the industrial representative.

The Ministry of Agriculture informed through a statement of several actions thatwill be implemented regarding the use of whey as controls by the Agency for Regulation and Control of Fito and Zoosanitary (Agrocalidad) to verify the compliance of good manufacturing practices.

Inaddition, it requested the Ecuadorian Standardization Service (INEN) to review the technical standards to exclude the mixture of liquid whey with raw milk andasked the Ministry of Health to study the change of labeling of “milk drink” by the name of ” whey drink with milk “.

While to confront the smuggling of milk and serum, both the Police and the National Customs Service (Senae) will intensify controls at the borders and roads.Gallegos acknowledged that the sector is going through a crisis due to the global decline in consumption, which translates into reduced sales.

On the other hand is the increase in production and the small Ecuadorian market, high milk prices, unfair competition, among others. For this reason, he highlighted the Government’s decision to create the Dairy Sector Consultative Council andthe opening of dialogue spaces with different sectors at the national level.

It also supported the milk consumption campaign that drives the Agriculture portfolio,in addition to the four-day increase in milk consumption within the School Feeding program. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/economia/4/uso-suero-leche-productos-lacteos