Actions have been implemented to bring criminal proceedings against Shanghai Panda Diary Co (“Panda”) after milk products were found to contain high levels of the chemical melamine. This recent discovery follows on from the 2008 incident where milk and infant formulas also containing melamine, affected over 300,000, led to the death of six infants, and led to a further 860 being hospitalised. In 2004, watered down milk led to the deaths of 13 infants due to malnutrition. China’s legislative response to the 2008 incident was the enactment of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China which became effective on June 01, 2009.
Melamine, a type of plastic, is known to lead to renal and urinary complication within humans and animals. Consequently, the use of melamine in food production is prohibited.
Since the discovery of melamine in Panda milk products, three executives were arrested, the company shut down, and a halt on their stocks. The forthcoming criminal case is likely to enact severe punishments. One such example of the stringent views the courts have adopted to such breaches of the law was in November 2009 where two milk producers were executed after selling contained milk.
For information regarding melamine please visit the World Health Organisation’s website at the following location: http://www.who.int/csr/media/faq/QAmelamine/en/