Global Food Alert: Deadly Baby Milk From China, New Zealand

Update Sept 22-08: Sanlu Was First Banned in 2004, then Reinstated

Contaminated milk powder co-produced by New Zealand’s Fonterra severely affects 432 1,253 babies, killing one two

Original entry posted on September 15, 2008 09:06UTC

Breaking News & Latest Analysis: Chinese, New Zealand contaminated milk powder kills two

New Zealand dairy co. Fonterra, part-owner of Sanlu, ordered a belated recall of about 700 tonnes of milk powder contaminated with melamine

11:36 GMT, Saturday, 13 September 2008 12:36 UK – COPYRIGHT BBC

Chinese baby milk scare ‘severe’

Babies have been suffering kidney stones – rare in young children

The number of Chinese babies known to have fallen ill with kidney stones as a result of contaminated milk powder has risen to 432, officials have announced.

“This is a severe food safety accident,” health ministry official Gao Qiang, said. Those responsible would be “severely” punished, he added.

Later, it was announced that 19 people had been arrested.

Tests showed the milk powder contained the industrial chemical melamine. One infant has died.

The new scare revived memories of a fake baby milk formula scandal four years ago in which at least 13 babies died.

Vow to punish

“As of 12 September, there are 432 cases of kidney stones in the urinary systems of infants according to reports from health departments nationwide,” Gao Qiang said.

“None of the milk powder was exported to other countries or regions,” Mr Gao said.

“Only a fraction of the milk powder was sold to Taiwan for food processing,” he added.

Gao Qiang said the Sanlu Group had been ordered to halt production after its products were found to be responsible.

“We will severely punish and discipline those people and workers who have acted illegally,” Mr Gao said.

Melamine is a toxic chemical used in plastics, fertilisers and cleaning products.

Sanlu ordered a recall of 700 tonnes of contaminated milk on Thursday

New Zealand-based dairy product company Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, a part-owner of Sanlu, ordered a recall of about 700 tonnes of powder contaminated with melamine believed to be in circulation.

[Note: Fonterra reportedly owns 43% of Sanlu.]

Melamine has been used by Chinese suppliers of animal feed components to make them appear to have more protein.

It was linked to the formation of kidney stones and kidney failure in pets in the United States last year, leading to thousands of deaths and illnesses.

A fake milk powder scandal in 2004 killed at least 13 babies in the eastern province of Anhui.

Investigators found that the milk given to these babies had no nutritional value, and the resulting scandal triggered widespread investigations into food safety. [Image credit: AP and AFP – Images may be subject to copyright.]

Related Links:

• Consumers being deceived of origin of powdered-milk: New Zealand Dairy Products Bangladesh marketing products with fake information

• New Zealand Health Warnings

Fonterra had Foreknowledge

• Dozens of Chinese babies die ‘from fake milk’ [2004]
• China ‘fake milk’ scandal deepens [2004]

• Fonterra File (Index Page)

Global Biosecurity Threat: New Zealand Light Brown Apple Moth

DO NOT IMPORT NEW ZEALAND FLOWERS, FRUIT, FARM PRODUCE

As of midnight Friday September 12, 2008 the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, is banning all New Zealand flower imports following the discovery of flower shipments containing light brown apple moth eggs.

The light brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Tortricidae), is a native pest of Australia and is now widely distributed in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Caledonia.

Light brown apple moths

USDA confirmed the detection of LBAM in Alameda County, California on March 22, 2007.  The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) aggressively surveyed the area to discover the extent to the infestation and identified the pest in 11 additional counties.  Intense control activities have contained LBAM within the initial detection area, and effectively eradicated the pest from Napa and Los Angeles counties.

LBAM is of particular concern because it can damage a wide range of crops and other plants including California’s prized cypress as well as redwoods, oaks and many other varieties commonly found in California’s urban and suburban landscaping, public parks and natural environment.  The list of agricultural crops that could be damaged by this pest includes grapes, citrus, stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, apricots) and many others.  The complete “host list” contains well over 1,000 plant species and more than 250 fruits and vegetables.

USDA and CDFA are working aggressively to control and eradicate this pest before it has the chance to spread requiring greater resources to protect American agriculture and our urban and suburban landscape. (Source)

Identification

There are many native tortricids that can be confused for the LBAM.  Adult moths must be identified by a qualified entomologist.  Larval stages cannot be reliably identified using morphological characters.  If you suspect the presence of LBAM, please notify your state department of agriculture or the State Plant Health Director’s Office of USDA, APHIS, PPQ.

E. postvittana 5th instar larvae

New Zealand: Home to over 250 LBAM host species

The insect is regarded as an herbivorous generalist, and the larvae feed on numerous horticultural crops in Australia and New Zealand, where they have limited natural predators. It is known to feed on 123 dicotyledonous plant species, including 22 Australian natives, belonging to 55 different families. In New Zealand, over 250 host species have been recorded. It feeds on nearly all types of fruit crops, ornamentals, vegetables, glasshouse crops, and occasionally young pine seedlings.

The larvae cause significant damage to foliage and fruit. Early instars feed on tissue beneath the upper epidermis (surface layer) of leaves, while protected under self-constructed silken webs on the undersurface of leaves. Larger larvae migrate from these positions to construct feeding niches between adjacent leaves, between a leaf and a fruit, in the developing bud, or on a single leaf, where the leaf roll develops. The late stage larvae feed on all leaf tissue except main veins

In New Zealand, over 250 host species have been recorded. It feeds on nearly all types of fruit crops, ornamentals, vegetables, glasshouse crops, and occasionally young pine seedlings. (Source)

Global Biosecurity Threat

See Main Entry:

Global Biosecurity Threat: New Zealand Light Brown Apple Moth

Does your mother shoot moose, too?

Image and title suggested by a reader:

Mother? Moose Murderer and Maverick!

[Just before this woman shot me, I was alive and well, looking forward to running around with my kids all day.] A video tribute to Sarah Palin at the Republican convention was titled “Mother, Moose Hunter, Maverick”. Image may be subject to copyright.

Why do you kill other animals?

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