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The November 1, 2008 Panama Start reports that melamine has now been found in chicken eggs. The industrial chemical was put in what were supposed to be dairy products in China causing kidney stones and death. In China at least 4 infants died and roughly 54,000 were hospitalized. Before the substitution was discovered candy was shipped world wide contaminated by melamine. State run media reports that melamine regularly added to animal feed in China and has been found in chicken eggs. Experts are concerned that melamine could cause contamination in the food chain throughout the world.

In September Panama pulled more than fifty types of food products from China off store of shelves and tested samples for melamine. The main problem seems to have been the contamination of “White Rabbit” candies. According to earlier reports the company responsible for effectively adding an industrial poison to the food supply was found out. Now it appears that someone has been doing the same sort of thing, adding melamine instead of milk, to chicken feed. Thus tests of eggs in China and elsewhere have revealed contamination with melamine. This has not been reported in Panama

The Panama Star quotes an Australian expert of food toxicity as saying that the amounts of melamine that might get into parts of the food chain are probably too low to make anyone ill.

World press reports note that South Korea has cut off imports of powdered eggs and other egg products after contamination with melamine was found in samples tested.

Panama and Melamine

There are no current reports of melamine in eggs in Panama. However, it is disconcerting that the problem out of China continues. Luckily, Panama has a pretty active food inspection system through its Autoridad Panameña de Seguridad Alimentaria (AUPSA) which is in charge of checking food safety.

In the recent case of candy from China contaminated by melamine food inspection testing revealed several samples containing melamine and the issue is still under investigation.

Panama Food Inspection and Living or Investing in Panama

Panama’s response to the melamine issue is reassuring to those who live or do business in Panama. As the World Bank’s Doing Business Website shows Panama ranks well in Latin America and throughout the world in several measures of good governance. The ability to trust that a government will protect its citizens in a prompt manner is integral to wanting to live in a country. The ability to trust that legal matters will be dealt with in a transparent and fair manner is also important.

Competent food inspection and getting melamine tainted candy off of store shelves in Panama goes with good governance. The fact that Panama has the highest rate of foreign investment per capita in Latin America is not a coincidence. Panama’s foreign investment is not just because of low wages and an ideal location. Foreign investors are also attracted by a fair legal system and effective government agencies.