The Truth:
This warning is true in Canada
only.
October 8, 2008 the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning that "the
public not to consume, distribute, or sell the Sherwood Brands Pirate's
Gold Milk Chocolate Coins described below. This product is being
recalled due to positive test results for melamine conducted by the CFIA."
Melamine is an industrial chemical
compound that some Chinese milk-based product manufacturers have added
to their products in an attempt to artificially inflate the reading for
protein levels. Chronic exposure to melamine can cause a number of
severe health issues including bladder or kidney stones, acute kidney
failure, reproductive damage, respiratory irritation and bladder cancer.
Because the Pirate's Gold chocolate
coins are only marketed in Canada, the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has not issued a recall. Melamine is a real health threat,
however, and the FDA has posted a general warning about this substance
found in food products imported from China.
Click
for FDA Warning
On October 24, 2008, the Sherwood
company issued a statement on their
website regarding their "commitment to test and assure the safety of
all our products", and "Immediately upon the issuance of a warning by
FDA about possible melamine contamination in milk-containing products
from China we began to work with independent labs to confirm our
products are free of melamine".
Click
for CFIA warning
updated 10/29/08
