Taiwanese are panic. The powdered-milk manufactured by the San-Lu Company (三鹿公司) in China had been confirmed to cause death to one child and more than 400 children become ill in China; the milk had been tested and had been found to be contaminated with melamine (三棸氰胺) which is made from amino-cyanide or H2N-CN. Chinese authority knew about the contaminated milk powder to cause health problems in China as early as June of 2008. Chinese authority notified Taiwan on September 11, 2008. During this three months, about 60% of 25-tons of Chinese powdered milk has already been processed and sold and probably consumed by Taiwanese.
How did the melamine get into the milk powdered? Melamine is a cheap materials for the nitrogen sources in wood adhesives [melamine-formaldehyde], in flame-retardants [after reacting with acid]. I would imagine some Chinese food processor thought melamine might be a cheap amino acid sources for baby milk formula. What a brutal ignorance !!
Two additional issues regarding this incidence: 1) China knew the problem as early as June, 2008. Why China waits until now to notify Taiwan when so many Taiwanese had already consumed the contaminated product? 2) Why Taiwan authority did not detect the health problem when the product entered Taiwanese Port? How diligent Taiwanese officials are in testing the safety of the imported product?
Photos the chemical formula of melamine, and newspaper story about where did the contaminated milk powded product go?
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