Log in to your IBTimes Account

close
ID
Password

Scary melamin-milk crisis hits more global food companies



By Elanine Kurtebach, AP
28 September 2008 @ 4:03 am IST

Shanghai - Snackers, beware: Your favorite chocolate or creamy treats might contain milk contaminated with melamine.


A Philippine police officer carries packs of White Rabbit candies as it was ordered withdrawn aside from other Chinese-made dairy products from the shelves of a grocery in Manila, Philippines in this Thursday Sept. 25, 2008 file photo.
A Philippine police officer carries packs of White Rabbit candies as it was ordered withdrawn aside from other Chinese-made dairy products from the shelves of a grocery in Manila, Philippines in this Thursday Sept. 25, 2008 file photo. (AP)
1 of 1

The list of companies facing potential recalls grew Friday as reports of foods tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, which has been blamed in the deaths of four Chinese infants, spread to a widening range of products.

Food companies around the globe are rushing to assess their products and in some cases setting new strategies to prevent problems.

"We have to think about any processed food with milk or protein in it," said James Rice, a food industry veteran who is now China country manager for Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat processor.

While his company is not affected, for others "that includes biscuits, cake mix, energy bars, anything that should have protein in it," he said.

Many food companies already were taking special precautions before Chinese milk suppliers were found to be adding melamine to watered-down milk to boost its apparent protein content. The chemical, which is high in nitrogen, can fool tests aimed at verifying protein levels. The compromised dairy products are blamed for sickening 54,000 children.

Some companies learned the need for extra diligence in China the hard way, during a spate of scandals last year from unsafe foods and toothpaste to melamine-laced ingredients in pet food.

But many continued to disregard the risks, said Jeremy Haft, a businessman who runs factories in China in a variety of industries, including medical products, clothing and building supplies.

"I don't think much was learned from the recalls of a year ago," said Haft, who has written of his experiences in a book, "All the Tea in China."

Tokyo-headquartered Lotte Group, a major snack maker, got caught up in the storm Friday after its popular chocolate-filled Koala cookies were recalled in Hong Kong and Macau because of melamine contamination.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Click!
  • Rate this article:

Comments

Post Your Comment

You must be an IBTimes member to post a comment. Login | Register


advertisement
More World News
The government has doubled its budget to organise the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next year as it hopes to use the international gathering to show it...
Indian defence companies will gain access to a potential $100 billion market over the next 10 years, following a new policy that allows domestic firms to...
For those who value their freedom of expression as much as health, wealth, and prosperity, then Finland is the place to be, with an index ranking the Nor...

advertisement
 
IBTimes.co.in Web
 
International Business Times© 2009 The Ibtimes Company. All Rights Reserved. Partners