Tainted Chinese Dairy Exports Recalled Globally After Babies Die

Chinese baby formula tainted with melamine—an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizer—has been blamed for the deaths of four infants and the illnesses of over 53,000 other people in China. Health experts say that there is no danger in ingesting small amounts of the chemical, but melanine can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure in children and people with compromised health issues. Infants are particularly at risk, which compounds the seriousness of the situation because the tainted products are dairy supplies.

More than a dozen countries have banned or recalled Chinese dairy products or halted imports of food such as yogurt, rice balls, Chinese biscuits, candy, and many other foods that may contain Chinese dairy derivatives. The Indonesian government has distributed a list of products such as Snickers bars and Oreo cookies that may contain Chinese milk. Tesco, a British supermarket chain, has removed White Rabbit Creamy Candies from stores after reports that samples of the candy had tested positive for melamine in Singapore and New Zealand.

New Zealand’s Food Safety Authority issued the recall after tests showed dangerously high levels of melamine. "This product contains sufficiently high levels of melamine which may, in some individuals, cause health problems such as kidney stones," deputy chief executive Sandra Daly said in a statement. Researchers are testing dozens of other Chinese products for melamine contamination.

Melamine has been found in infant formula and other milk products from 22 dairy companies in China. Investigators believe that suppliers may have intentionally added it to watered-down milk in an effort to cut costs. The high nitrogen content of melamine masks the resulting protein deficiency of milk that has been watered down.

In New York Wednesday, China’s Premier Wen Jiabao tried to ease the growing concern about Chinese food exports by promising to strengthen product safety checks and meet international standards. "We want to make sure that our products and our food will not only meet the domestic and international standards, but also meet the specific requirements of the import countries," Wen said, adding that China needs to enforce checks at every stage of production and increase efforts to protect consumer interests.

Singapore’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said Wednesday that more Chinese-made food had tested positive for melamine, including Silang-brand potato crackers, Dutch Lady banana and honeydew-flavored milk, and two kinds of puffed rice balls. The crackers and rice balls listed milk as one of the ingredients.

A Chinese official issued a public apology to consumers in Taiwan after President Ma Ying-jeou condemned Chinese milk producers who have produced fake milk and dairy creamer. Authorities in Taiwan ordered the removal of 160 products containing Chinese milk and vegetable-based proteins. "We feel extremely painful about the damage that the milk powder brought to people in Taiwan. Our government attaches great importance to it and is taking a series of measures to minimize the damage and influence," said Li Weiyi, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

The dairy at the middle of the crisis, Sanlu Group Col, received complaints about its infant formula as long ago as December 2007, but covered up the problem for months. The Chinese government has taken control of the company and shut down its operations.