MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chinese government recalls all dairy products over a month old

The Chinese Government ordered this week the recall of all dairy products more than a month old in its latest move to contain the contaminated milk scandal that has triggered domestic and world-wide concern.

All dairy products manufactured prior to 14 September will now have to be withdrawn from sale and tested in the aftermath of the crisis that has sickened almost 100,000 people in China. Reports by China's state news agency Xinhua said it was quoting an urgent notice from six government departments in Beijing regarding the total recall. All products that passed government safety tests would be permitted for resale with a label officially declaring them safe to consume. The date of 14 September was chosen as that was when Sanlu, the firm at the centre of the scandal, admitted its baby milk powder, contained the chemical subs Meantime three Chinese dairy companies have publicly apologized for their involvement in the toxic milk scandal that has led to Chinese-made products pulled from shelves around the world. Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, Mengniu Dairy and Bright Dairy Group were found earlier to have produced milk contaminated with melamine, a compound used to cheat nutrition tests. "I feel I have let everybody down. I have done so much, yet still done wrong" Beijing News quoted Mengniu's marketing chief, Zhao Yuanhua, as saying on state television. Zhao and executives from Mengniu and Bright Dairy also promised consumers that their products prices would not rise despite higher costs of quality controls.