General

China executes men behind tainted milk

Pair added melamine to baby formula

A dairy farmer and a milk salesman were executed in China today for deliberately adding melamine, an industrial chemical, to infant formula that made 300,000 children sick and killed at least six babies. The scandal caused a massive recall and created outrage in China that was further fueled by allegations of a cover up. Sanlu, the company that manufactured the formula and used melamine to boost its nutritional properties, knew the milk was dangerous in May of last year but waited until August to warn officials, who in turn waited another month to take action. Chinese media also knew about the tainted milk, but refused to report on the issue because it took place in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. Another 19 people associated with the tainted formula are currently in jail, including Sanlu’s general manager. Some parents of affected children say the executed men were merely scapegoats and that Sanlu’s executives should receive harsher sentences.

 

The Guardian

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.