China Milk Scandal escalates

Hutts first reported on this a few days ago, but this scandal has escalated into massive proportions. It appears that there are now reported to be some 13,000 babies in hospital around China, and some 40,000 who have already been sick. The death toll has risen to 4. 4 innocent little babies whose lives have been taken due to the apparent greed of some people.

Milk has been contaminated by melamine. Milk plus water plus melamine = higher profits.

But this deadly combination has caused damage to fragile little bodies, whose only nourishment was this "poisonous" milk. It appears that many products made with milk are possibly contaminated. Starbucks, here in China, no longer uses the milk from China. Supermarkets are not stocking some milk products and I have discarded my yoghurt.

China is not the only country suffering from such deliberate acts by people intent on making higher profit at any cost.

In Japan, low grade rice which was destined to be made into glues etc, has found itself into the food of school children and nursing home residents. The rice was not only low grade, but contaminated by mould and other things apparently.

These stories are on the websites of newspapers.

Check China Daily News, ABC News, and so forth.

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Oversight -

Submitted by djbtol on Mon, 2008-09-22 15:57.

It is unfortunate that so many things need oversight. Business leaders do a great service in all cultures by providing products and jobs. However, people of all types can get too focused on the profits and careless about other factors - for instance product safety.

As China grows and grows and grows, they will struggle with this kind of thing. The best scenario is if businesses police themselves and hold themselves to high standards. Last resort is to give the job to big government, but that is often what happens.

Consumer protection is an issue.

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One thing that we forget in the west

Submitted by Elly on Mon, 2008-09-22 16:14.

is the size of the population, the distances, and the lack of education. It is a country of amazing contrasts - the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the high technology in use and the primitive farms. China struggles with its huge population - it is enormous. There is no country in the west that has such challenges.

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That is a good point

Submitted by djbtol on Tue, 2008-09-23 07:18.

and I am not trying to minimize the difficulties that China has. Generally speaking, in the U.S., the population was growing alongside the industrial revolution and other such developments.

In China the population is huge at the start of these developments, which does make it more difficult.

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It is an amazing place

Submitted by Elly on Tue, 2008-09-23 15:59.

but you can see the struggle with development. There are so many contradictions. People in the west think it is a "third world country" but it has large numbers of modern up to date cities, and then vast areas of under development. I can see how hard they are working to "catch up" - but many of the leaders are out of their depth. It is still fascinating to watch the development.

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In NZ some Chinese milk...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Sun, 2008-09-21 22:31.

products such as yoghurt, have tested positive to melamine and taken off the shelves. In Hong Kong two supermarket chains have taken milk products off the shelves too. Swiss global giant, Nestle has become involved as well.

I believe we haven't seen the end, by any means,of this shocking and despicable scandal that has victimised innocent babies. I feel disgusted at the greed of those responsible.

I believe the Chinese government delayed reporting this scandal so it would not cause embarrassment at the Olympic Games.

It does happen all around the world too

Submitted by Elly on Sun, 2008-09-21 18:58.

and China is coming to grips with the need for more scrutiny of many things. Hard to do with a population of 1.3 billion people, with all the different languages, and literacy skills too.

Greed? Everywhere.

Elly

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