Baby Milk Formula

Tainted milk formula in China has killed three babies and sickened 6,200 in a spreading scandal that prompted three additional companies - including China's biggest dairy - to recall products. About 20 per cent of the dairy companies tested nationwide had sold products tainted with melamine, officials said. Suppliers to the companies are thought to have added the banned chemical, normally used in plastics, to watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein. 6,244 babies had been sickened after being fed tainted milk formula, and that 158 were suffering from acute kidney failure.

In addition to Sanlu and Mengniu, two other companies, Guangdong-based Yashili and Qingdao-based Suncare, were recalling their products after melamine was found in their milk powder. Yashili and Suncare export their products to Bangladesh, Yemen, Gabon, Burundi and Myanmar. SanLu Group, a 43% stake of which was acquired by New Zealand-based Fonterra Co-operative Group for 864 million yuan in 2006, is seen to be the main but not the only culprit. Another foreign brand on the black list is Kocci, a China- Australia joint venture.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine had already reported that its inspectors had found melamine "in 69 batches of milk powder manufactured by 22 companies." The highest concentration of melamine was found in Sanlu's milk powder, he said. Among the other companies that had melamine in their products was Olympic sponsor Yili Industrial Co, with one batch out of 35 showing the chemical's presence, government is seeking more information after Hong Kong food inspectors ordered the recall of an ice cream bar made by Shanghai Yili AB Foods because melamine was found.

Chinese media have mostly kept quiet about claims that Sanlu and officials in Shijiazhuang, where the company is based, concealed the poisonings from the public and senior authorities during the Beijing Olympics in August. New Zealand Prime Minister said on Monday that Chinese officials acted last week only after her government pressed Beijing.

The widening scandal is an embarrassing failure for China's product safety system, which was overhauled to restore consumer confidence and preserve export markets after a string of recalls and warnings abroad last year over tainted toothpaste, faulty tires and other goods.

It is the second major case in recent years involving baby formula. In 2004, more than 200 Chinese infants suffered malnutrition and at least 12 died after being fed phony formula that contained no nutrients. Melamine was also found in Chinese pet food exported to the United States last year that killed dogs and cats. Chinese fish contaminated with banned drugs, cough syrup made with poisonous chemicals and dumplings laced with pesticide have also been found on sale in other countries.

Melamine is a low toxicity chemical product, and can cause urinary and reproductive system damage if taken in large amounts or over a prolonged time. Most of baby kidney stone cases reported are connected with San Lu baby formula milk powder. Babies may excrete small stones themselves by drinking more water, but they need medical attention if they suffer dysuria (painful urination) or urine turbidity (cloudiness).

According to the European Commission, the safe level of melamine migration, that is from food containers to food is 30mg/kg of food. The banned Sanlu-brand of milk products in China had melamine level in excess of 2,563 mg/kg of food.