Proliferation of Chinese Cosmetic and Milk Products with High Mercury Content
CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction PROLIFERATION OF CHINESE COSMETIC AND MILK PRODUCTS WITH HIGH MERCURY CONTENT – China has been forced to deal with tainted milk products and other contaminated food products in past years, particularly with the melamine milk scandal that killed six children and sickened 300,000 more people in 2008. Some of Yili’s products were found contaminated with melamine at the time, along with several other dairy companies. Melamine-tainted food resurfaced in China in 2010, with high levels of the industrial chemical found in products from several companies. Last December, dairy products by the China Mengniu Dairy Company, also based in Inner Mongolia, were found to have elevated levels of aflatoxin, a substance that is carcinogenic for humans. A major dairy firm in China has recalled some of its baby formula products after an “unusual” level of mercury was found by the country’s product quality watchdog. Tests carried out showed that only products from Yili Group are contaminated. Among 715 infant formula product samples that have been examined so far only batches from Yili are detected with “an unusual level” of mercury, said China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in a statement on Thursday. A spokesperson from the local quality supervision bureau in
Inner Mongolia said that two samples from Yili were found with mercury concentration of 0.034mg/kg and 0.045mg/kg. High levels of mercury can cause damages to brain and kidneys. The 2008 scandal has caused a heavy blow to China’s milk industry after a number of firms were found to be using the toxic chemical melamine. Parents in mainland China have turned to imported baby formula in hope of better reliability, resulting in scarce supply in Hong Kong. Manila, Philippines – Toxics Watchdog Eco-waste Coalition alerted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on skin whitening products containing mercury that are
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction PROLIFERATION OF CHINESE COSMETIC AND MILK PRODUCTS WITH HIGH MERCURY CONTENT – China has been forced to deal with tainted milk products and other contaminated food products in past years, particularly with the melamine milk scandal that killed six children and sickened 300,000 more people in 2008. Some of Yili’s products were found contaminated with melamine at the time, along with several other dairy companies. Melamine-tainted food resurfaced in China in 2010, with high levels of the industrial chemical found in products from several companies. Last December, dairy products by the China Mengniu Dairy Company, also based in Inner Mongolia, were found to have elevated levels of aflatoxin, a substance that is carcinogenic for humans. A major dairy firm in China has recalled some of its baby formula products after an “unusual” level of mercury was found by the country’s product quality watchdog. Tests carried out showed that only products from Yili Group are contaminated. Among 715 infant formula product samples that have been examined so far only batches from Yili are detected with “an unusual level” of mercury, said China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in a statement on Thursday. A spokesperson from the local quality supervision bureau in
Inner Mongolia said that two samples from Yili were found with mercury concentration of 0.034mg/kg and 0.045mg/kg. High levels of mercury can cause damages to brain and kidneys. The 2008 scandal has caused a heavy blow to China’s milk industry after a number of firms were found to be using the toxic chemical melamine. Parents in mainland China have turned to imported baby formula in hope of better reliability, resulting in scarce supply in Hong Kong. Manila, Philippines – Toxics Watchdog Eco-waste Coalition alerted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on skin whitening products containing mercury that are