Shockwaves of Milk Crisis Ripple in the EU

EU - The melamine milk crisis has caused havoc within China, but the consequences have reached right around the globe. The repercussions have questioned the procedures that food companies go through when sourcing from outside the EU.
calendar icon 2 October 2008
clock icon 2 minute read

According to FoodProductionDaily, the ramifications of the melamine contamination incident continue to reverberate beyond China. The food sector is notorious for its complex, global supply chain networks.

Chinese milk products have been banned by various countries and there has been withdrawal of various chocolate products in Hong Kong and the UK, reports FoodProductionDaily. The European Commission has asked EU Member States to carry out checks on all products imported from China that contain over 15 per cent milk. Trace levels of melamine have been found in chocolate and biscuit products on sale in Indonesia.

According to the news agency, other companies are going to extreme lengths to protect their brands - for example a major food retailer took out a full page advertisement in Singapore’s Strait Times newspaper to reassure its customers that its biscuit products did not contain milk ingredients sourced from China.

China has a poor recent track record when it comes to product safety. Last year saw major international recalls linked to China involving lead paint in toys, toothpaste and pet food. The latest scandal will cause further embarrassment to China, all the more so because it arises as a consequence of deliberate contamination.

It is crucial that thorough due diligence is carried out on any foreign manufacturer or supplier.

This concerns not just understanding first hand the supplier’s quality control procedures, insurance arrangements and previous claims record, but also consideration of the experience and integrity of management.

Further Reading

- Go to our previous news item on this story by clicking here.

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