The Chinese Central Government has sent eight inspection teams to 16 provincial areas to investigate and prevent melamine-tainted milk powder from being reclaimed illegally to produce milk products. Melamine, a milk adulterant added to poor quality milk to make it appear protein rich by increasing its nitrogen content. It can cause renal failure especially in children and infants.
Milk powder contaminated by melamine was sealed in 2008 after the death of six infants, yet due to difficulty of disposal and destruction, some may have been used as raw materials for dairy products illegally in certain areas. Especially endemic to difficult-to-monitor small dairy farmers as a way to cut costs, melamine is considered absolutely unacceptable to the Chinese Government.
On February 1st, ten-day checks for melamine-tainted milk products were launched across the country to locate any manufacturers still using the illegal powder. These measures in conjunction with arrests made in provinces such as Jilin, Shaanxi, and Heibi are examples of the government’s efforts to restore confidence in the Chinese diary industry. Simultaneous scientific investigations of efficient ways to dispose of the powder are underway.
Scott Garner, director of the Lehman, Lee, and Xu Shanghai Office, commented, “This is an excellent example of increased standards for Chinese consumers and the simultaneous spread of the rule of law throughout the country. Consumer confidence is vitally important for Chinese companies at home and abroad.”