Contaminated milk pushes China officials to inspect dairy regions
Authorities said they have already detained 19 people and are questioning 78 others about how the banned chemical melamine was added to milk sold to Sanlu Group Co., China's biggest milk powder producer.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said the government has sent a group to Hebei, Guangdong and Heilongjiang provinces as well as the Inner Mongolia region to inspect dairy companies.
The teams will also work with local officials in removing all substandard milk powder from the market.
Chinese officials said they were not alerted even though Sanlu received complaints as early as March and company tests in August found the milk powder contained melamine, a chemical used in plastics that is banned in food products.
Sanlu ordered a recall Thursday (September 11).