Two More Melamine-related Deaths

BBC reported today that two men have been given the death penalty for their involvement in China's contaminated milk scandal. We have been watching the trial in northern China on CCTV9, the government English-speaking channel. Dead men walking, you could see it at the trial, and the sentence is no surprise. The two men ran a melamine manufacturing business, making hundreds of tons of the stuff, which they sold to Sanlu and other companies, who then added it to raw milk to boost the protein content when tested. As well as milk and baby milk formula contamination, eggs and meat were found to be contaminated with melamine after it was also added to animal feedstock. Six babies died and 300,000 more became ill in this, China's second milk contamination scandal.

BBC also reports that the former boss of the Sanlu dairy at the centre of the scandal was given life imprisonment. They are among 21 sentences being handed down by the court in northern China, where Sanlu is based. I've not seen Fonterra's name mentioned in any of the reporting of the scandal since we've been here, although of course they owned 42% of the now bankrupt company. Fonterra have been subsequently criticised by Amnesty International who have raised questions about their role in the whole affair.

BBC again: Chinese dairy companies involved apologised in a New Year text message sent to millions of mobile phone subscribers. "We are deeply sorry for the harm caused to the children and the society," the text message said. "We sincerely apologise for that and we beg your forgiveness." It said a compensation fund had been established for the victims, including the families of thousands of babies still suffering from urinary problems such as kidney stones.

As a captive consumer of Chinese products it has left me feeling nervously careful of milk products here. As expiry dates of fresh milk on the supermarket shelf seem always to be past, I buy long-life milk. However the health protection authorities seem to be vigilantly watching the sector. I note with approval recently seeing a total clearing of fresh milk products from a supermarket's refrigerated section. Of course I don't know whether this vigilance is enough to make the products always safe, so I tend to just avoid milk products, although "Wonder Milk" looks promising.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the scandal, some other interesting advertising appears from time to time. Check out this ad for a New Year show.

And this packaging on my favourite eggs. Brand: EM Effective Microorganisms - yum - showing that they don't give their chooks additives or antibiotics: