100 tons of U.S. milk powder rejected in China

[TexasLawyer]

100 tons of U.S. milk powder rejected in China
www.chinaview.cn 2006-08-23 20:06:48

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has sent back more than 100 tons of powdered milk made in the United States because it contained excessive nitrite. The 102,000 kilograms of milk powder, produced by West Farm Inc., was worth about 200,000 U.S. dollars, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

The Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau said the Chinese company imported the milk powder as raw material for making chocolates. Samples from the three batches of imported milk powder were found to contain 2.8 mg, 4.4 mg, and 2.7 mg of nitrite for every kilogram of milk powder, exceeding the allowable limit of nitrite in milk powder of two mg per kilogram, the administration said.

All of the powdered milk in question had been returned to the United States under the supervision of the administration and none had entered the Chinese market, the administration said in a statement.

Imported food must pass the quality supervision checks and meet China's national standards before entering the Chinese market, said Li Yuanping, director of import and export food safety.

<snip>

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/23/content_4998678.htm

[nebula]

1. What? The bribe not big enough for ya?

[TexasLawyer]

2. If the FDA's been weakened enough

here, perhaps the milk will find its way back to the :patriot:USA.:patriot:

[VegasWolf]

10. IF !?! nt

[951-Riverside]

3. Yet we continue to drink their apple juice

...I can't find any apple juice these days that doesnt say "Made in china" on the bottle.

[w4rma]

4. It's probably the apple juice that doesn't meet their own standards.

They pawn it off on us.

[Kailassa]

12. Come to Australia.

We have such good locally produced juices and cider now that
I've practically given up alcohol and have delicious fresh
juices instead.

I was already suspecting we are terribly lucky to have these.

[lpbk2713]

5. That's OK.

When the bad milk returns to the US it will be sold to the school lunch programs.




:eyes:

[cliss]

14. You could very well

be right.

This is an interesting situation because this should not have happened (I'm involved in exporting). The producer should have been more careful about the product. They should have checked the Tariff regulations about the level of nitrites. (In fact, I'm going to go check this).

Secondly, the exporter should have known this. It was just as much THEIR responsibility to look into this before sending the shipment.

Now at this point, I'm wondering: who will absorb this cost? It's going to be either

a) the exporter or

b) the producer.

Maybe they will fight and split the cost. Either way, it's a lesson learned.

[Reckon]

6. Not good enough for China but ok here.... Sad.. n/t

[truthisfreedom]

7. too much bacon in the milk...

[redqueen]

8. KIck

This deserves a little more front-page exposure, I think.

[Supersedeas]

9. first rice...now milk...hmmm

[Red1]

11. This is not unusual

Raised on a farm, I remember my Dad talking about the mills shipping grain overseas that would be contaminated with dirt, other grains, weed seed, etc. This would reflect poorly on the farmers, who were powerless to change the situation. Such is the state of affairs with our food industry, even today.

[snooper2]

13. 200,000 pounds...wow..

and that's before you add water :)

[Desperadoe]

15. This will end up being sent to 3rd world countries like......

Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston to be distributed to inner city schools......and the taxpayers will pick up the bill.

No Child Left Behind, my ass.

[earth mom]

16. You said it!

:grr: