Tainted Milk from China

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

The current problem with melamine-tainted milk in China was one of the current events that was mentioned in class on this past Tuesday. This problem appears to be having an effect in other East Asian countries.

I've read a summary of a news story that reports the Taiwanese health minister was physically attacked (allegedly choked) today by lawmakers in Taiwan's parliament while trying to leave parliament to attend a meeting.

According to the story, this health minister, who helped lead Taiwan through the SARS epidemic in 2003 while deputy mayor of the capital city of Taipei, has been health for only one week (his predecessor resigned over the problem with tainted milk).

It's good that physical violence among public officials is rare here in the U.S. Given the partisan divide that has been a regular feature of nationa politics here since the mid-1990;s, if physical violence was a normal occurrence here, I think federal executive and legislative officials would spend even less time governing than they already spend because people would follow-up their verbal attacks with physical attacks.

[Anonymous]

The problem spreads--or, rather, IS a spread.

From a British government agency:

"The Food Standards Agency has today issued a food alert about novelty food products from China, including chocolate-flavoured 'willy spread', containing melamine.

Melamine is an industrial chemical that should not be present in food. Milk products containing melamine have been at the centre of a major food incident in China.

An Agency spokesperson said: 'This is a first. We’ve never had to put out an alert before on "willy spread" – chocolate-flavoured or otherwise. But on a serious note, if anybody has used any of the affected products they shouldn’t worry, the risk from the melamine in these products is low and it is very unlikely to be harmful.'"

Full information available here.

http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/oct/novelty

[Anonymous]

My concern here is that as globalization persists and expands, profit is more important that ever and countries who have a profitable relationship with China are failing to regulate trade and demand that standards are raised and met. There have been occasions in the recent past where we have seen goods come from China that are hazardous and have proved to be detrimental to our health- not to mention the health of underpaid and exploited workers in China- and the government has failed in my opinion to reevaluate our trade policies with China. This is a in my opinion one of facet of our relationship with China that is problematic and questionable.

[Anonymous]

When I hear stories of tainted milk, or Mad Cow Disease, I am very grateful for government regulation. I remember a time when food wasn't so protected, or regulated as it is now. I remember a time when the nutritional value, and ingredients weren't on the labels. There was minimal information on the labels. I also remember when medicine bottles weren't childproof, and many items in bottles weren't sealed. But, with the increased dangers came more regulations, and for that I am grateful.

[Anonymous]

Whatever became of this issue regarding the tainted milk? It amazes me how there is a 'leak' about a story that gets us all up and arms - rightfully so. And then you hear nothing, as if no one ever said anything about the issue. If there was a resolve, it was not as publicized as when the news of the problem was broadcast.

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