The contaminated milk in China

Résumé du document

I will talk about the problem of milk in China. To make it more clear, I divided my presentation into three parts. In the first part, I will explain the origin of the problem. Then I will explain the current situation. Finally, I will talk about the consequences of the scandal. Remember 'Sanlu', the name of a group of firms where was found a very high rate of melamine in milk? It's a firm of dairy products, especially products for babies.

Extraits

[...] More recently, other investigations revealed that melamine was also used in animal food. Last Friday, France has discovered that soy meal, food for poultry was also contaminated. In certain packages the rate was up to 50 times the maximum level authorized by sanitary authorities (116mg/KG instead of mg/KG). This discovery explains why melamine was also found in Chinese eggs. REGULATION'S LIMITS Finally, I will explain the limits of the regulation. The problem is that China has hidden all the information concerning the scandal and still hides it. [...]

[...] On September 16, the contamination of milk by melamine was revealed at the national news. Melamine is a chemical product used in the fabrication of glue, plastic and fertilizer. In China, melamine is frequently used in food because it gives the impression of a higher proteins level. If it is used at a low rate, it's not toxic. The problem in China is that the rate of melamine found in the milk was too high and in this case, it can provoke stones in the bladder/ kidney stone. [...]

[...] In addition to this, China faces problems with the International Organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). To take appropriate and necessary measures, WHO has to know how important the problem is, how many children have been and still are affected etc. Unfortunately China refuses to give any official figures. All the information is transmitted by the Medias. China is actually putting up barriers with the rest of to world in order not to reveal how huge the scandal is. [...]

[...] China's organization of milk production is original. There was one firm in each province and the collecting factories which were private owned had no other choice than following the firm and do what it wants. This organization changed in 2005 with the beginning of the competition. National firms were created and tried to compete with the province's firms. One year later, while national firms were rapidly growing the sector knew a crisis and here begun the entire problem. Actually, the collecting factories took the power and by this way controlled the small farmers and the firms. [...]

[...] - Concerning Countries' importations: Many countries, as a response and for sanitary reasons, have banned commercialization of Chinese products and have also sent back to China some products. Besides, there is since 2002 in the UE, an embargo on Chinese dairy products. However because of numerous Chinese networks (especially restaurants), products still enter in the countries. - China has officially fixed the rate of melamine allowed in food: Before the problem, there was no international legislation concerning melamine. Immediately, the UE, Hong-Kong and New-Zealand fixed their own rate. They were followed by China on October 8. [...]