[Above: An AVA food inspector (foreground) conducts a spot check at a Sheng Siong supermarket at Chin Swee Road.]

By Lediati Tan

SHE used to buy Chinese food products whenever she went to China for vacations.

This is despite her children repeatedly warning her not to because of frequent media reports about slipshod food safety in China.

Even the past week's reports about tainted milk from China did not rattle her; she assumed that the fallout would be limited only to China.

But yesterday, Madam Lam, a retiree in her 60s, swore off made-in-China food products.

What changed her mind was when she found out that the strawberry-flavoured milk by popular brand Dutch Lady had been found to be contaminated with melamine and ordered to be taken off the shelves by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

That was when Madam Lam realised that the tainted-milk scandal she thought remote had hit home.

While she said she does not drink Dutch Lady milk, the fact that a popular brand had been affected by the scandal had made her 'more cautious'.

Now, she will even boycott her regular brand of oats because it is made in China.

She has also vowed to stay away from all other food items made in China.

When she went to a shop selling traditional Chinese medicine yesterday, she said she bombarded the shopkeeper with questions about the ingredients.

She added: 'I didn't take the news on the potential dangers of Chinese products seriously then, but from now on, I'm going to.'

But she may be the exception rather than the rule.

The New Paper spoke to 30 consumers yesterday, and only two said they were worried about food safety.

Most believed that most products sold in Singapore are safe for consumption, mainly because they believe Government checks are stringent.

Madam Cynthia Chan, 28, a chemist, who is now breastfeeding her 8-month-old baby girl, said: 'I will still continue to buy Chinese food products as I am confident of AVA's abilities (to make sure our food is safe).'

Mr Robert Chua, 62, a programme coordinator, said he has always checked food labels.

'Now, I'll just do it more religiously.'

This story was first published in The New Paper on Sept 23, 2008.