This slogan became very popular all over the world many years ago but today, it might not be a good idea to stock up on milk – especially if it comes from China. I am sure that you have heard of the powdered milk scare. Last week, reports came out that powdered milk from China has been contaminated with melamine.
Melamine is a chemical that is usually used for coatings, laminates, adhesives, and other industrial applications. Apparently, some Chinese manufacturers have added this chemical to their dairy products. The reason behind this is that it makes the products seem to have higher protein levels. So how can melamine hurt you?
According to experts, melamine can cause various illnesses like kidney stones, stomach ulcers, and irritation of the skin and eyes. Naturally, infants drinking milk tainted with the chemical can suffer from lack of nutrition. More so, this chemical is responsible for killing cats and dogs during the big industrial contamination in the United States last year.
How is China reacting to this scandal? CNN reports:
On Monday, China’s top quality control official, Li Changjiang, resigned as a result of the scandal, which has seen the arrest of at least 18 people.
Two brothers arrested last week on charges of selling contaminated milk could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper. The raw milk used to produce powdered baby formula had been watered down and the chemical melamine was added to fool quality checks, the newspaper said.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Beijing hospitals and a supermarket to show his concern. China’s Health Ministry said about 13,000 children were hospitalized, while another 40,000 had undergone outpatient treatment.
“What we need to do now is to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future, not only in dairy products, but in all foods,” he said. “Manufacturers and owners of dairy companies should show more morality and social responsibility in these cases. They are heartless, so we have to create strict law and legislation. I’m sorry.”
As for us, we should stay clear of milk and other products that may possibly come from China.
Originally posted on September 23, 2008 @ 11:13 pm