I hope the reporter in this first article has only committed a journalistic fuzzy. I just don’t want to think the world is only just now catching this wave.
China
China’s contaminated food scandal widens
By David Barboza
Friday, October 31, 2008
[SHANGHAI: Chinese regulators said Friday that they were widening their investigation into contaminated food amid growing signs that an industrial chemical called melamine has leached into the nation’s animal feed supplies, posing health risks to consumers.
The announcement came after food safety tests this week found that eggs produced in three provinces in China were contaminated with melamine, which is blamed for causing kidney stones and renal failure in infants. The tests have led to recalls of eggs and consumer warnings.
The reports are another serious blow to China’s agriculture industry, which is already struggling to cope with its worst food safety scandal in decades after melamine-tainted milk supplies sickened more than 50,000 children, caused at least four deaths and led to global recalls of goods produced with Chinese dairy products this autumn.
Companies all over the world that import from China are now beginning to test for melamine. If animal feed supplies are tainted, an even wider array of foods could come under scrutiny for contamination, everything from pork and chicken supplies to bread, cookies, eggs, cakes and seafood….]
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=17419948
9 families sue Chinese milk company
By Edward Wong
Published: October 30, 2008
BEIJING: Nine families with babies suffering kidney problems, allegedly because of contaminated milk, have filed separate lawsuits against one of China’s largest milk companies, according to lawyers representing the families. They are the latest lawsuits to be filed in China’s worst food safety scandal in years.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/30/asia/china.php
Report: China’s animal feed tainted with melamine
The Associated Press
Published: October 31, 2008
[BEIJING: The industrial chemical melamine is commonly added to animal feed in China to make it appear higher in protein, state media reported, in what appeared to be a tacit admission by the government that contamination is widespread in the country’s food supply.
The practice of mixing melamine into animal feed is an “open secret” in the industry, the Nanfang Daily reported Thursday, describing a process of repackaging melamine scrap into an inexpensive product called “protein powder,” which is then sold to feed suppliers….]
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/31/business/AS-China-Tainted-Food.php
This is a perfect example of the testing problems. Should we believe the company? Are both results accurate, but different samples? How much should we rely on the voluntary testing and reporting method used by the US FDA or other countries?
New Zealand/ Bangladesh
NZ dairy exporter in Bangadesh(sic) tainted milk probe
The Associated Press
Published: October 30, 2008
[WELLINGTON, New Zealand: New Zealand dairy exporter Fonterra said Thursday that independent tests of one of its baby formula powders in Bangladesh have found no traces of the chemical melamine.
The testing came after police and courts in Bangladesh seized Fonterra’s Anlene brand milk powder in a crackdown after tests in one laboratory indicated it may contain melamine….]
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/30/asia/AS-New-Zealand-Bangladesh-Tainted-Milk.php
It was in the chocolate in the UK; there had to be more! Strawberry flavored too!
Australia
Melamine-tainted body paint recalled in Australia
The Associated Press
Published: October 30, 2008
[SYDNEY, Australia: An Australian importer of edible body paint has withdrawn the Chinese-made novelty item after authorities found it contained the industrial chemical melamine, an official said Thursday.
A limited amount of chocolate and strawberry-flavored Boxer Lovers Body Pen Set body paint was imported to Australia a few months ago for use at an exhibition and does not appear to have been sold in any stores, Food Standards Australia New Zealand spokeswoman Lydia Buchtmann said….]
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/30/asia/AS-Australia-Melamine-Body-Paint.php
I Own My Vote, PUMA, The Denver Group, Just Say No Deal
Grab and Keel 
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