February 3, 2009
China blocks bacteria-tainted milk powder imports from Taiwan
China has rejected about 9.624 tonnes of bacteria-tainted milk powder and formula from Taiwan, the country's quality supervision watchdog and state media said on Monday (February 2).
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in its website, reported that has already recalled and destroyed milk powder made by Wei-Chuan Foods Corp from Taiwan between August and November, after detecting a bacteria that can cause meningitis or brain inflammation.
Other milk powder from Australia was also blocked.
The watchdog increased checks on milk powder imports after the revelation that widespread use of melamine to fool protein tests in milk sold in China had killed at least 6 Chinese babies drinking Sanlu brand milk powder, and made 296,000 others ill.
Taiwan banned all Chinese-made dairy products shortly after the melamine scandal came to light in September.
Sanlu's top executive, who received life in prison last month, during the trial said that Sanlu, partly owned by New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra, had informed government officials of the contamination in early August.
The public was not informed until September, after the Olympic Games in Beijing were over. A local quality official was sacked in the wake of the scandal.
The Wei-Chuan milk powder was among 852 batches of food, beverage and cosmetic products that failed quality tests. The list included wines, frozen meat and fish, water and biscuits imported between August and November from the United States, Japan and Spain, reports the state-run Xinhua news agency.
