Milk shake-up continues to jostle

(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-03 08:50

Chinese inspectors found the chemical melamine in 69 batches of baby milk powder produced by 22 companies nationwide in the middle of last month.

The authorities then ordered a halt to the sale of the tainted products, which included such well-known brands as Sanlu, Mengniu, Yili and Yashili, among others.

Industry and Commerce offices have been told to post notices in retail outlets that include brands and batch numbers of the tainted milk powder.

Relevant departments have begun an investigation of the companies implicated to find the source of the problem and punish those responsible.

Tian Wenhua, board chairwoman and general manager of Sanlu Dairy, was detained by police for questioning and fired from her posts in the wake of the tainted milk powder scandal.

About13,000 infants nationwide were hospitalized with kidney problems and four were killed after drinking baby formula tainted with melamine, a toxic chemical added to raw milk to falsely increase protein levels.

Lawsuit against Sanlu

The parents of a baby allegedly sickened in the country's tainted milk crisis are suing Sanlu, in the first known lawsuit stemming from the scandal, a lawyer said yesterday.

Although product liability lawsuits have become more common in recent years, the lawyer, Ji Cheng, said he would not know until next week if the court in Henan province would take the case.

"The court will make the decision whether to accept this case after the National Day holiday," Ji said.

The hospitalized 14-month-old from Henan province was, fed - from birth - infant formula made by Sanlu Group Co, according to a report by Caijing, a leading business magazine.

Lawyers said they had not heard of any other civil lawsuits being filed in response to the melamine contamination of liquid milk, yogurt and other products made with milk in the country.

Ji said one of the sick child's parents filed a lawsuit in a court in Zhenping county recently seeking 150,000 yuan ($22,000) in compensation from Sanlu for medical, travel and other expenses incurred after the child developed kidney stones. The amount could increase because the child is still being treated.

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