More melamine-tainted milk powder uncovered in China

State media reported that the powder was seized from a company in Chongqing in south west China. Media reports claim that the tainted powder, which is thought to come from Inner Mongolia in north west China, has not filtered through to the consumer.

Food safety record​

Melamine-tainted milk has continued to appear in the Chinese dairy supply chain despite government efforts to improve the food safety record of the industry.

Since 2008, when melamine poisoning killed six children and sickened 300,000 people, China has introduced new laws and conducted high profile crack downs to prevent melamine reentering the supply chain. .

But melamine, which is added to milk products to artificially increase protein levels and disguise watered down merchandise, is not the only contamination concern for Chinese authorities.

Earlier in the month nitrate tainted milk produced near Pingliang city killed three children and 35 others were taken to hospital.

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Reforming the industry ​

Liana Giorgi, one of the authors of a recent paper published in Food Policy on the Chinese melamine milk scandal, recently gave her views to this publication on why food safety scares keep reemerging in China and what needs to be done to reform the industry.

Giorgi said the focus now is on testing the end product and needs to shift to the development of quality assurance systems. She added that better understanding and supervision of the entire supply chain is also needed. To listen to her views in a recently published podcast, please click here. ​