Bandar Seri Begawan (The Brunei Times/ANN) -
Brunei's Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday recalled various brands of sports supplements found to contain DMAA or 1,3-dimethylamylamine.
DMAA or 1,3-dimethylamylamine can cause some side effects like high blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting, bleeding in the brain, stroke and even death.
The withdrawal comes following information obtained from the International Food Safety Network (INFOSAN), after receiving a notification from Australia where laboratory tests indicated DMAA was found in the sports supplements.
A press statement from the MoH said some of these products are produced in the United States of America and are sold through the Internet.
Following the withdrawal of these products, the MoH, through the Division of Food Safety and Quality Control, Department of Health Services, has been monitoring supermarkets or certain premises to ensure the product is not available in the market, and will continue to make routine inspections.
The ministry said importers and retailers are "prohibited" from importing the products concerned.
The products are also to be withdrawn from the market immediately, and be taken to any of the Quality Control and Food Safety sections across the districts to be destroyed.
Consumers are advised to return the respective supplements to shops where the purchase(s) were made, or send them to any of the Quality Control and Food Safety sections.
The Ministry said under Section 9, subsection (1) sub-paragraph (i) of the Act (Public Health) (Food), (section 182), anyone who provides, sells or imports food that is harmful to health can be imprisoned for five years or a fine or both.
