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Deadly germ tainted baby milk
By Jin Jing and Qian Tong |
February 3, 2009, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DEADLY bacteria were found in baby milk powder that was shipped from Taiwan to Hong Kong last year, China's quality watchdog said yesterday.
The tainted infant formula was among 852 batches of food, beverages and cosmetic products that failed tests by the state product quality watchdog from August to November last year, according to Li Yuanping, spokesman for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The company at the center of the controversy, Wei Chuan, an affiliate of Taiwanese food conglomerate Ting Hsin International Group, said in a statement yesterday that all of its formula milk powder sold on the Chinese mainland was safe. Li confirmed that none of the powder entered the mainland market.
Food safety concerns were raised after a report from the quality administration showed that Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria were found in 9.6 tons of Wei Chuan milk powder in Hong Kong last October. Those products were all made in Taiwan.
Enterobacter sakazakii can cause meningitis, inflammation of the brain's protective membranes, developmental problems and death. It has a fatality rate of more than 50 percent in infants. There were no reports of illness linked to the milk products, however.
The baby food producer said that all the Wei Chuan-branded baby milk formula available on the mainland is made by its joint venture, Hangzhou Weichuan Biotechnology Food Co Ltd.
"The tainted products were imported and had nothing to do with Hangzhou Weichuan. Locally made products have won safety certificates from the government," the company said on its Website.
The state quality supervisor also found problems with food and beverages including wine, frozen meat and fish, water and biscuits from the United States, Japan and Spain.
Pauls milk, produced by Parmalat Australia, a subsidiary of the Italian food giant, was also on the quality watchdog's list because it contained high levels of bacteria.
The latest formula problem follows last year's major scandal that left at least six infants dead and nearly 300,000 ill from drinking melamine-tainted milk powder.
The tainted infant formula was among 852 batches of food, beverages and cosmetic products that failed tests by the state product quality watchdog from August to November last year, according to Li Yuanping, spokesman for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The company at the center of the controversy, Wei Chuan, an affiliate of Taiwanese food conglomerate Ting Hsin International Group, said in a statement yesterday that all of its formula milk powder sold on the Chinese mainland was safe. Li confirmed that none of the powder entered the mainland market.
Food safety concerns were raised after a report from the quality administration showed that Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria were found in 9.6 tons of Wei Chuan milk powder in Hong Kong last October. Those products were all made in Taiwan.
Enterobacter sakazakii can cause meningitis, inflammation of the brain's protective membranes, developmental problems and death. It has a fatality rate of more than 50 percent in infants. There were no reports of illness linked to the milk products, however.
The baby food producer said that all the Wei Chuan-branded baby milk formula available on the mainland is made by its joint venture, Hangzhou Weichuan Biotechnology Food Co Ltd.
"The tainted products were imported and had nothing to do with Hangzhou Weichuan. Locally made products have won safety certificates from the government," the company said on its Website.
The state quality supervisor also found problems with food and beverages including wine, frozen meat and fish, water and biscuits from the United States, Japan and Spain.
Pauls milk, produced by Parmalat Australia, a subsidiary of the Italian food giant, was also on the quality watchdog's list because it contained high levels of bacteria.
The latest formula problem follows last year's major scandal that left at least six infants dead and nearly 300,000 ill from drinking melamine-tainted milk powder.
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