Posted on 09/24/2008 8:02:30 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
South Korea Finds Melamine in Foods Imported From China
Posted on: Wednesday, 24 September 2008, 12:00 CDT
Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap
[Yonhap headline: "(LEAD) Melamine Found in Imported Confections From China"]
Seoul, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) - South Korea's food safety agency on Wednesday put a temporary import ban on Chinese products containing powdered milk after tests on two confections revealed traces of the toxic chemical melamine.
Tests on "Misarang Custard" cake, which a Chinese firm produced on an original equipment manufacturing for South Korea's Haitai Confectionery and Foods Co., were undertaken by the Korea Food & Drug Administration.
The agency said in a statement that melamine in the quantity of 137 parts per million was detected in the cakes that were produced in July.
In addition, "Milk Rusk," imported from Hong Kong, revealed 7 ppm of melamine, said the agency.
(Excerpt) Read more at redorbit.com ...
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2008/09/25/7/0503000000AEN20080925003900320F.HTML
Haitai recalls biscuits after finding toxic chemical from China
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- Haitai Confectionery and Foods Co., one of South Korea's leading snack makers, said Thursday it is recalling products after detecting the same poisonous chemical found in baby formula across China.
Haitai is recalling 6,296 packs of its "Misarang" brand biscuit, as the nation's food protection agency said the product was tainted with melamine.
The Korea Food and Drug Administration recently launched a probe into whether imported snacks and other processed foods from China contain melamine, a toxic chemical used to make plastics and fertilizer, amid a global scandal over contaminated baby formula.
Last week, Chinese authorities said melamine was found in baby formula from 22 Chinese manufacturers. At least four infants have died and more than 50,000 babies have been sickened by the tainted milk so far.
An official at Haitai said the company will destroy all of the products once the recall is completed.
"The recall may be completed today because the distribution volume is relatively small," the Haitai official said.
Haitai imported the biscuit products from an unidentified Chinese company on an original equipment manufacturing basis, the official said.
On late Wednesday, the KFDA said it has banned imports of Chinese-made dairy and other food products using powered milk as an ingredient due to the discovery of the toxic chemical in South Korea.
In a statement, the KFDA said the import ban will continue until the safety of Chinese food products is ensured.
Ping!
You have to wonder how much of that stuff is coming into the U.S., as powdered milk or as ingredients in various kinds of food, diet supplements, and medicines.
I haven’t heard a word about that possibility, one way or the other.
The Chinese can’t seem to produce anything, from dog food to children’s toys, without poisoning them with toxic chemicals.
Just one more thing Americans would be pissed off about if they weren’t distracted with bank bailouts, illegal immigration, fuel prices etc etc etc.
Chinese are sick money hungry freaks
This episode has hit Taiwan pretty extensively. Thankfully its being tracked down quickly. There is a report of one child hurt by this so far. I pray there are no others.
Some major international firms are involved with this, i.e. Nestles is one of them.
This is the same thing they poisoned our pets with. Due to our government putting everyone foreign ahead of Americans, we can't be sure what we buy is from China or not.
My daughter had to put her Doberman down, about eight years ago, due to kidney stones. Makes me wonder how long Chinese companies have been using the poison.
They made the decision to transfer production to Asia because it was cheaper.
Now they should expect lots of lawsuits — hey “it is just the cost of doing business.”
After millions of dollars in lawsuits, maybe they'll realize that it really isn't cheaper to have the chicoms manufacture their products.
http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/china/melanine-milk-standard-practice-4582.html
Melamine Use in Milk: Standard Practice in China
By Zhang Haishan
Epoch Times Staff Sep 24, 2008
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Related articles: China > Regime
A baby, who is suffering from kidney stones after drinking tainted milk powder, at the Chengdu Children's Hospital on September 22, 2008. (China Photos/Getty Images)
Melamine added to baby powdered milk was an unspoken practice illegally used in China.
Sources have revealed the Ministry of Health held a confidential national videoconference in response to the recent melamine contaminated milk powder scandal.
So far, at least 12,892 infants have been hospitalized, 80 percent aged under two, with over a hundred critically ill and at least four dead. The scandal exposing the tainted powdered formula for babies broke early September.
During the videoconference it was revealed how dairy companies had made it a standard practice, of adding melamine to the milk powder, to adjust the texture, thickness and flavor of the milk. In fact, the practice was widespread in China with dairy companies successfully using the formula in proper proportions.
[Health Editor’s Note: In an April 30, 2007 article about melamine found in animal feed in the New York Times, found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/business/worldbusiness/30food.html?_r=1&oref=slogin melamine is “a cheap additive that looks like protein in tests, even though it does not provide any nutritional benefits …” It appears that melamine was added to diluted milk to give the appearance that it had adequate protein. Adding melamine to milk adulturates it and can produce toxic effects.]
Also shown, were pictures of dairy companies stocking up on melamine.
Speculation suggested, that problems in the Sanlu Group milk powder had surfaced because both Sanlu and its suppliers had added melamine to the final product and to the raw materials—or that perhaps Sanlu was unaware of mistakes in its workflow, which eventually resulted in adding too much melamine.
Experts said flavor played an important role in marketing milk powder products. Children’s’ flavor preferences controlled parents’ choices when buying; so dairy companies had added melamine anticipating market demand. Melamine was cheap and increased the [apparent] protein content of milk products due to its high nitrogen element.
Adding melamine to milk products was standard practice, involving a series of long-term experiments. Big companies with strong financial and technical backing were exempted from inspection and so engaged in the practice freely. They ensured the dosage, of melamine, used would not cause serious problems, and could easily make the addition of melamine undetectable when necessary.
Ministry of Health's Actions
According to sources, Chinese authorities dismissed the Sanlu Group chairman, however, a new management team was put in place. Indicating the authorities still wanted to help Sanlu pull through the crisis.
China's Politburo is rumored to have rejected Wen Jiabao’s request after he submitted a letter of resignation, due to pressure from inside China and from overseas countries.
Currently, the Chinese regime is trying to blame dairy farmers and sellers for the scandal. They are also trying to divert public attention toward specific companies or individuals hoping to cover up the illegal practice of adding melamine to milk products. They are also trying to minimize the affect of the scandal to save the dairy industry.
In Hebei Province, 12 people have been recently arrested and at least six are suspected of selling large quantities of melamine to dairy companies, indicating that dairy companies were actively stocking up on melamine.
Update on Present Situation
Almost 13,000 children have been hospitalized for drinking tainted milk, 104 are in critical condition, and four have died.
According to China's Department of Public Health figures a total of 39,965l children who have taken medication or received treatment, have recovered.
Almost 82 percent were infants less than two years old, 17.33 percent were aged between two and three, and 0.3 percent more than three years old.
Hong Kong media reported on September 21 that a three-and-a-half year old girl was found two days ago with kidney stones after consuming Yili milk powder over a long period.
The Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong are considering suing the Yale Group.
In addition, Food Safety Center of Hong Kong announced, Monday, melamine was found in a 1kg pack of pure milk from Nestle provided to restaurants.
Original article in Chinese: http://epochtimes.com/gb/8/9/22/n2270992.htm
China is likely to shoot some executives and plant managers in the head...especially in light of the fact that those managers and executives have shot China exports in the foot in some lucrative markets.
Nestle is already on my boycott list from years ago. They used to tell third world mothers their formula was better for babies than human breast milk. Stupid and evil! My baby gets as little formula as possible and I only buy American made name-brand non-Nestle stuff. None of Walmart Parent's Choice brand. I don't want the LOW PRICE LEADER mixing up a chemical formula made from the cheapest possible nutritional elements(probably from China) for my baby.
It worked wonders in E. Asia. Mothers did stop breastfeeding.
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