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Message to the Philippine Star

Dear Consumerline:

With regard to your recent column entitled “Melamine: The most dreaded M word,” there was a mention that Oreo by Kraft Foods has been found to contain melamine in Indonesia. Under our Oreo brand, there are many products, the most popular of which are the Oreo sandwich cookies. The entire Oreo sandwich biscuit range is made in Indonesia and contains no milk ingredients. In the Philippines, Oreo sandwich cookies include the following: Oreo Regular (Vanilla Cream); Oreo Double Stuf; Oreo Choco Cream; and Oreo Double Delight (Peanut/Choco ).

We wish to clarify that the product you may have referred to are the Oreo Wafer Sticks that were imported from China and sold in Indonesia. We understand the Indonesian government’s cautionary measures and support their advocacy on behalf of consumers. However, we are seeking to understand their testing methodology and protocol as Oreo Wafer Sticks do not contain any Chinese-sourced milk ingredient. In fact, the government authorities of Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have confirmed that Oreo Wafer Sticks are approved for consumption based on negative test results. Oreo Wafer Sticks are not sold by Kraft Foods in the Philippines.

Regardless of where they are produced, Kraft products are always held to the highest standards of safety and quality. With over 100 years of existence as a global food company, it will always maintain its commitment to its consumers, and that it considers the quality and safety of its products a top priority by complying with all applicable quality standards in every market it serves.

Sincerely yours,

Raymund S. Soberano

Head, Corporate Affairs

Kraft Foods Philippines, Inc.