[58], The Wall Street Journal reported that the suppression of bad news had not improved since the scandal was uncovered: media rigidly adheres to the official line, as ordered; Chinese consumers were ill-informed about the extent of global recalls. As a result of this dilution the milk has a lower protein concentration. 2010). Tian Wenhua, former Sanlu general manager, and three other company executives appeared in court in Shijiazhuang, charged with producing and selling milk contaminated with melamine. Melamine is a hydrophilic compound that is poorly retained on a typical RP column (e.g., C18 or C8 column). On 31 October, it announced the opening of a $10.2 million Beijing research and development centre, to "serve as the base and the reference in food safety for Nestlé in Greater China". Although there was an immediate trade recall, Fonterra said that local administrators refused an official recall. HPLC-grade melamine (99.0%), used as a standard, was acquired from Fluka (Milwaukee, WI). The chemical is not water-soluble, and must be mixed with formaldehyde or another chemical before it can be dissolved in milk. WHY ADD MELAMINE TO MILK POWDER? A 1000-µg/mL melamine stock standard was prepared by accurately weighing approximately 100 mg of melamine into a 100-mL volumetric flask and bringing to volume with aqueous methanol (50%, v/v). Furthermore, that court was instructed not to give any written replies or accept Sanlu-related cases in the meantime. According to the Xi'an Evening News, Jiang died in hospital on 12 November from knife wounds inflicted by his wife, Yang Ping, but the purported murder by his wife was subsequently reported to be incorrect. [86], The events have exposed the often-incestuous relationship between local business and local government. The health ministry sent investigators to Gansu in early August. [103][104] Nestlé's factory in Heilongjiang was also implicated: the Taiwanese Department of Health forced the delisting of six Neslac and KLIM products on 2 October for containing minute traces of melamine, although the minister said they did not pose a significant health risk. [113][114], The scandal led to an erosion of trust in locally produced infant formula and from then on, many Shenzhen residents and parallel traders travelled across the border to purchase powdered milk from Hong Kong shops. [118], Although the Hong Kong government imposed a strict 2-can limit on the export of infant formula in March 2013,[119] spurred price differentials caused by sales tax on the mainland and lax customs, trafficking activity including for powdered milk has continued, exacerbating the Hong Kong-Mainland conflict. Other types of melamine contamination, separate from using tableware, have been in the news. Milk powder samples #1-5 (approximately 2 g of each) were accurately weighed into 50-mL centrifuge tubes, and 15 mL of aqueous trichloroacetic acid (1%, v/v) and 5 mL acetonitrile were added to each. [207], Former senior party official Bao Tong said "the more dark secrets are exposed, the better. The SPE column was washed with 3 mL methanol and 3 mL water, respectively; then samples were eluted with 6 mL of aminated methanol solution (mixture of 5 mL ammonia solution and 95 mL methanol). In an effort to prop up sales and retain their market share, dairy firms have cancelled their common accord not to use promotions to fight the sales decline: substantial discounts (including BOGOF), free gifts and other point of sale incentives were being offered to shoppers. [72] On 24 September, Fonterra announced it had written down the carrying value of its investment by NZ$139 million (two-thirds), reflecting the costs of product recall and the impairment of the 'Sanlu' brand because of the "criminal contamination of milk". [2][3], The scandal was first exposed on 16 July, after sixteen babies in Gansu Province were diagnosed with kidney stones. [56], Tian Wenhua, Chairwoman and general manager of Sanlu and Secretary of the Sanlu Communist Party chapter was stripped of her party and functional posts during an extraordinary meeting of the Hebei provincial standing committee of the CCP;[57] four Shijiazhuang officials, including vice mayor in charge of food and agriculture, Zhang Fawang, were reportedly removed from office. [137] It saw regulation failing to keep pace with the rapid development of the food and industrial production as opening the gates to all types of misbehaviour and malfeasance. Of course breastfeeding is the best food for babies." To each was added 1 mL dilute HAc (3%, v/v), and sample solutions were stored at 4 °C for at least 30 min. All of them had been fed milk powder that was later found to have been adulterated with a toxic industrial compound called melamine. [230] On 30 December 2009, Xinhua reported continuing problems: powder and flavouring products sold by another company involved in the original scandal–the Shanghai Panda Dairy Company–were found to contain illegal levels of melamine; the dairy was closed and three of its executives arrested. He also said that its export products were less likely to be contaminated. A Melamine is a powder that's used to make plastic found in floor tiles, kitchen countertops and such. [147] On 20 October, the parents of one baby who died from contaminated milk appealed to New Zealand for justice on TV ONE. Sodium 1-octane sulfate (98%) was a Baker Analyzed HPLC Reagent obtained from J.T. The Beijing Review said Sanlu expects to have to pay compensation claims totaling ¥700 million, and it became clear the company would be broken up and sold. [211], The search widened when some manufacturers tested positive despite reportedly not using Chinese milk. Working groups were established in nearly every single province in order to set up new food testing centres and replace outdated equipment. The residues were dissolved in 1 mL of mobile phase and vortex mixed for 1 min. [115] Lower confidence in Chinese production, combined with the relaxation of visa requirements for mainland citizens, had resulted in shortages of infant formula in Hong Kong for an extended time. It will mean that this government has lost the most basic level of trust. [7], Melamine is used to manufacture melamine-formaldehyde resin, a type of plastic known for its flame-retardant properties and commonly employed in countertops, dry-erase boards, etc. [74] The company is also facing lawsuits from parents (see Anger at Sanlu). Aquatic animal products are raised in polluted waters. Scott Lefferts. None of those companies without professional ethics or social morals will be let off. The Association estimates the financial effect of the order of ¥20 billion, and forecasts that confidence may take up to two years to be fully restored. "[205], David Bandurski, journalist and researcher at China Media Project, criticised the crippling media controls by the state combined with "runaway commercial greed", and said that the censorship "suppresses information critical to the well-being of ordinary Chinese". [citation needed], In the United States of America, which was otherwise unaffected by the scares, the US distributor of White Rabbit candies recalled the product when samples found in Hartford showed traces of melamine. [54] While this was happening, Sanlu was honoured in a national award campaign called "30 Years: Brands that Have Changed the Lives of Chinese". He claims he was told by the official to "follow the arrangements set out by the government", and was further threatened: "If this suggestion is disobeyed, the lawyer and the firm will be dealt with. Of an estimated 300,000 victims,[1] 6 babies died from kidney stones and other kidney damage and an estimated 54,000 babies were hospitalized. [188], Chang Boyang, one of the group of volunteer lawyers, said he had filed a suit in Guangdong against Sanlu on behalf of the parents of one victim. She then apparently headed a working team to handle the case, but did not report to the Shijiazhuang city government until 2 August. [117] According to the HK government, the regulation is not applicable to "powdered formula that is exported in the accompanied personal baggage of a person aged 16 or above leaving Hong Kong if the person did not leave Hong Kong in the last 24 hours and the formula does not exceed 1.8 kg in total net weight". [61], Sanlu general manager Tian Wenhua was charged under Articles 144 and 150 of the criminal code. The court also sentenced Sanlu deputy general managers Wang Yuliang and Hang Zhiqi to fifteen years and eight years in jail, respectively, and former manager Wu Jusheng to five years. The Beijing Youth Daily reported that farmers had been forced to slaughter tens of thousands of chickens. On 12 September 2008, Sanlu Group, the biggest producer of milk powder in China, rocked the country when it admitted that its infant formula had been contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine. Nestlé has a very close relationship with its milk producers in China and advises them continuously on the quality of milk production. More recently melamine has been found to be contaminating human foods, in particular milk powder, milk and yoghurt and was reported to have been used in 22 brands of infant formula. These bases supply the 94 ministries' and commissions' veteran cadres with high quality organic food products ... [Our] products accord with the highest standards. Mengniu's share price fell 12% since October 2007 because of higher costs of raw milk (due partly to rising costs of cattle feed) and price controls—anti-inflation measures targeted at the dairy sector announced on 16 January. Melamine test in milk, milk products and other foods. [99] Tests in Hong Kong found excessive amounts of melamine in China-made Dairy Milk products. "Keeping the market in order and ensuring independent law enforcement should be part of the mandate. It suggested that Fonterra paid a heavy price in write-offs, a wrecked business and public condemnation. The government will put more efforts into food security, taking the incident as a warning. The group aims to improve government coordination and enforcement and to solve systemic food safety problems. [202] One analyst, Willy Lam, a Senior Fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, indicated that CCP's pervasive control over political and economic resources has resulted in the absence of meaningful systematic checks and balances. Japan found melamine in frozen fried chicken imported from China. A World Health Organization official said 82% of the children made ill were 2 years of age or below. More than 300,000 other infants were made ill from milk powder contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertiliser. The RP-PIC (paired ion chromatography) method is also not compatible with MS detection. (Import Ban on Milk Items from China Extended Till June 2016) According to the World Health Oraganisation, "Melamine is an organic base chemical most commonly found in the form of white … [160], The melamine food scare became a focal point against the warming relations between Taiwan's government and the Chinese government, and a major demonstration was held by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party on 25 October 2008 to voice dissatisfaction with Taiwan's increasingly closer ties with Beijing, notably related to the incident. [156][157] Some media reports have documented that Chinese sailors and expatriates have been buying local dairy produce in Australia to send back to relatives in China. Most RP methods for melamine use an ion-pairing reagent, such as octane sulfate. The Inner Mongolia region produces over one-fourth of China's milk,[88] and Mengniu and Yili have invested millions to establish state-of-the-art dairy facilities in its capital, Hohhot. 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