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Confidence in food safety has been undermined once again in China. (Image: China News Service)
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Milk scandal puts media under microscope
“The Chinese government has launched a multi-department investigation into the scandal, vowing to punish offenders according to law. ” CRI Nordic
"I think Fonterra, from the advice I have had, has behaved responsibly at all times, but it has been dealing in a political system at a local level in China where the inclination is to cover things up.” New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on The Telegraph
The scandal over the latest incident of food contamination in China is growing. And no wonder, since the victims are also the most innocent – more than 6,000 babies have developed kidney illness and as of this writing, four have died from renal failure after ingesting milk contaminated with toxic melamine. The first complaints were received by Sanlu Dairy as early as March. Why are we hearing about it only now?
Fonterra, a New Zealand dairy company, owns 43 percent of Sanlu. According to Bloomberg, Fonterra has urged Sanlu and public officials for an official recall of the tainted milk products since August 2. One reason the recall was not implemented, The Telegraph says, might have been to avoid a scandal during the Olympic Games.
The Financial Times reports that local authorities knew about the contaminated milk for weeks, but it wasn't until New Zealand diplomats informed Beijing that they took action. China Media Blogger notes among possible reasons for the slow reaction time the 21-point reporting guideline issued by China's Propaganda Bureau during the Olympics. Negative stories were to be avoided, the guideline said.
Chinese media are reporting on the steps that the government is taking to control the damage caused by the contamination. Those responsible have been arrested, local officials have been relieved from their posts and the search for melamine continues, China.org.cn says. If media had played a more active role, could the number of babies affected have been fewer?
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| China | Europe | North-America | From elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Baby Dies from Tainted Formula CRI Nordic - 17th September 2008 Three babies are now dead after drinking melamine-contaminated milk powder, China's Minister of Health Chen Zhu said on Wednesday. NZ Dairy Giant to Help in China after Milk Scandal Exposed CRI Nordic - 17th September 2008 Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy trader, said Wednesday that it wants to help as the Chinese government has stepped in to ensure the health of children in the aftermath of the baby milk powder scandal. Most companies' baby milk powder safe in China, says State Council Xinhua - 17th September 2008 The infant milk powder produced by most companies in China was safe according to the nationwide check results following the Sanlu baby formula scam, the country's State Council departments said on Tuesday. Crisis curdles China's fledgling dairy sector Asia Times - 18th September 2008 China's national crisis over tainted baby milk formula has been likened to a "tsunami" for the nation's food export industry and has soured some of the biggest names in its booming, US$19 billion dairy sector. Two dairy giants apologize to consumers China Daily - 17th September 2008 Two publicly-listed Chinese dairy companies on Wednesday issued written apologies to consumers over the tainted baby formula scandal, and promised to pay double the State-set compensation to victims. Melamine found in more milk food products China.org.cn - 17th September 2008 Chinese inspectors have found the chemical melamine in 69 batches of baby milk powder produced by 22 companies nationwide, the country's quality watchdog said late on Tuesday. Melamine in Sanlu milk powder? Now that's a crisis! China Media Blog - 15th September 2008 If you want to get people mad --I mean fired-up, torch-and-pitchfork enraged-- screw with their pets or their babies. |
NZ accuses China of tainted milk cover-up Financial Times - 15th September 2008 Chinese officials knew for weeks about sales of chemical-tainted milk powder that has killed two babies and made 1,253 ill, but did not act until Wellington pressed Beijing, New Zealand’s prime minister said on Monday. Chinese authorities 'covered up baby milk scandal because of Olympics' Telegraph.co.uk - 15th September 2008 The Chinese authorities took six weeks to recall contaminated baby milk that killed two infants and hospitalised hundreds of others, according to foreign businessmen. Anger over tainted milk rises in China International Herald Tribune - 17th September 2008 At Children's Hospital on the east side of Beijing, harried nurses spent Wednesday behind a small wooden desk, registering infants in a rapidly filling logbook. Rapid growth led China dairy industry to cut corners Guardian - 17th September 2008 Overly rapid investment in China's dairy industry coupled with a lack of quality control over thousands of inexperienced farmers tempted players to cut corners, ultimately leading to illness in thousands of infants, industry experts said on Wednesday. Baby milk powder from 22 companies tainted: inspectors Radio86 - 17th September 2008 A check of China's dairy industry showed that baby milk powder produced by 22 companies are tainted with melamine, inspectors said on Tuesday. Danmark overvejer tjek for melamin i mælk Politiken - 19th September 2008 Den danske mejeribranche vil muligvis begynde at tjekke danske mælkeprodukter for melamin. Arla involveret i kinesisk mælkeskandale LandbrugsAvisen - 16th September 2008 Sagen om giftstoffet melamin i kinesisk mælkepulver rammer nu danske Arla Foods. |
What The Baby Milk Scandal Says About China Forbes - 16th September 2008 The escalating tainted baby milk scandal is more than a tragedy for China. Behind bad baby milk, an ethical gap in China's business Christian Science Monitor - 17th September 2008 Inspectors found that 13 percent of dairy firms inspected since last week had produced melamine-tainted formula, state TV reported Tuesday. Critics say state regulation alone won’t prevent more food scandals. Chinese Formula Maker Hid Toxic Danger for Weeks Wall Street Journal - 18th September 2008 Distributors say they weren't told reason for recall. Fonterra Says China Should Have Acted Sooner on Milk Boomberg - 17th September 2008 Fonterra Cooperative Group, whose Chinese affiliate Sanlu Group Co. was found to have produced melamine-tainted milk, said local and regional officials in China took too long to issue a public warning. China toxic formula kills 3, thousands sick MSNBC - 17th September 2008 Poisonings concealed before Olympic Games in August, official says. |
Mums head to Hong Kong for safe milk Herald Sun, Australia - 17th September 2008 Thousands of mothers from China have flocked to Hong Kong to buy milk powder manufactured overseas, as a tainted milk powder scandal spreads. China milk crisis spirals TVNZ, New Zealand - 17th September 2008 The poisonous milk scandal in China involving one of New Zealand's biggest companies is spiralling out of control. On Chinese media: Denial is not just a river in Egypt CNET Asia - 15th September 2008 Mark Twain said that, though I don't think he'd ever been to China. Although if he were around today, he'd probably have noticed familiar patterns of scandal-denial-apologize in the Chinese media. |
