How does this happen?

Seems like every year there is some big recall or issue with goods from China. There was the lead paint on toys, the dog food with melamine in it...well, now, it's MILK!!! It wouldn't affect you if you don't live in china, as they don't export milk -but the fresh milk, baby formula, yogurt, ice cream of some of the biggest Chinese brands are all under scrutiny for adding melamine to their products. What they do is add milk powder to the milk products here - not quite sure why? but they do - so even fresh milk has milk powder, as well as formula and milk products.

Personally, I don't get it. Surely they don't think it will go unnoticed? yes they may save some money in the short term, but long term the costs are unrecoverable. We really haven't had much fresh milk or yogurt here, buying mostly boxed from New Zealand, but I just think that is unconscionable. There are over 1k babies in the hospital with kidney failure, several have died....and this is all just breaking so I am quite sure the fallout will increase as the recall has included fresh milk products. One of the big dairies published the following:

CHINA'S diary giant Sanlu Group apologized to the public yesterday for its contaminated milk powder which has killed at least two babies and stricken more than 1,250 others with kidney stones.

Zhang Zhenling, Sanlu's vice president, read a letter of apology at a news briefing in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, where the corporation is based.

"Sanlu Group expresses its most sincere apology to you," Zhang said. "We solemnly declare we will recall all the infant milk powder produced prior to August 6."


Gee, we sincerely apologize for knowingly adding chemicals to milk powder that goes into your infants formula and possibly killing them or making them sick? I just don't understand what they hope to gain. So now you may see why I have a bit of paranoia about Chinese products. I certainly use some things, but you really can't trust things they way you just do at home and I just don't have tolerance for this complete failure in food safety.