China

Dairy products pulled from shelves as contamination scare spreads

Article published on the 2008-09-19 Latest update 2008-09-19 12:23 TU

Customers return their milk products to the supermarket.
(Photo: Reuters)

The Chinese government has ordered a mass recall of dairy products after it was revealed that a chemical blamed for killing four babies has been found in milk, yoghurt and ice cream. Two-thirds of the Chinese outlets of the US-based company Starbucks have stopped serving milk after one of the coffee chain's main suppliers was linked to the scandal.

Melamine, an industrial chemical found in powdered milk this week, has been blamed for causing more than 6,000 babies to fall sick. Now  traces of the chemical have been found in ordinary dairy products.

The government ordered dairy companies to recall their products after it issued the results of a comprehensive study of daily products Friday, showing that melamine was present in three different dairies.

This recall comes two days after baby milk powder from 22 different manufacturers was pulled from shelves for showing traces of melamine.

Companies in China have been diluting their products in order to cut costs, and then adding melamine in order to boost the protein content and make the product look normal. The Chinese press reports that, in some cases, this practice has been going on for years.

The government has already arrested 18 people for their roles in providing and mixing melamine into dairy products.