Is any milk safe to drink?

Paul Pennay | Sep 19, 2008 4:27 pm | 13 comments | 14097 reads

Starbucks customers in the capital had to take their coffee black - or more often than not choose to whiten it with soy milk - this morning as the international coffee chain decided to stop using milk supplied by Mengniu Dairy. The decision was made after news emerged that the baby milk powder scandal had spread to regular milk supplies with milk produced by some of China’s biggest brand names, including Olympic sponsor Yili, being tainted. While Starbucks continue to search for alternate suppliers, readers might be wondering what to put on their cereal tomorrow morning.

According to Chinese media reports, Sanyuan and Nestle (along with 406 other brands) have not tested positive for traces of melamine. However three of the country's most well-known brands Yili, Mengniu and Guangming all have had a small proportion of their products return a positive test for traces of the harmful chemical. Sanyuan is a Beijing-based supplier of dairy products and their share price has jumped 10% on the news of their clean bill of health. Although the fresh milk that Sanyuan produce is much more expensive than the others (RMB 8-9 a liter), the milk that the Great Hall of the People choose to serve at their official banquets looks like the safest bet for now.

In related news, there are conflicting reports about why the price of foreign baby milk powder has increased since the scandal surrounding Sanlu and 21 other brands of baby milk powder emerged. Are the foreign producers making a profit off a tragic food safety scandal or has increased demand for their product simply resulted in higher prices? Whatever the case, the relevant authorities have announced that they'll be monitoring the price of milk powder very closely.

Links and Sources
China Daily: Liquid milk sold by three big firms contaminated
(image) The Beijinger Forum: no milk in starbucks this morning ... checking supply for melamine
WSJ: China Starbucks to Stop Using Supplier, Amid Milk Scandal
Shanghaiist: Crisis hits the liquid milk industry
Sanyuan Official Website (Chinese)Sciencebase: Melamine in Milk
Straits Times: Liquid Milk also Tainted

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Captain Morgan's picture Captain Morgan Submitted by Guest on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 22:50

Hmmm... so if cow's milk is not fit for human consumption, why do we not bottle human breast milk for the market? Perhaps this idea could be the saviour to both the economy and theglobal food shortage. Maybe I should get a Nobel Prize for this mind-blowing breakthrough?!?!

But here is a stern warning to all of you displaced milk drinkers seeing alternative beverages... Keep your scurvy paws off me rum! Captain's Orders...

Time flies when you are having rum...

lioralourie's picture lioralourie Submitted by Guest on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 15:48

Green Yard organic milk is safe.

Certified organic, and they also had the requisite testing done (4 inspectors at their plant). I saw their certificates.

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/shopping/supermarkets/has/green-yard-organic-milk-and-yogurt/

Liora Pearlman
Moderator, Beiing Mamas and Beijing Organic Consumers' Association (BOCA) yahoo groups
groups.yahoo.com/group/Beijing_Mamas

Paulus's picture Paulus Submitted by Guest on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 19:25

they've started attaching stickers to products made before Sep 18 to let people know that they don't contain [url=http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2008/09/24/Beijing-Digest-Sep-24]melamine[/url]

gaiaofchaos's picture gaiaofchaos Submitted by Guest on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 14:07

No offense, But where is your documentation of all these doctors and professors? I have a feeling that you are over dramatising their findings to suit the crisis. Maybe milk isn't necessarily made for human consumption but I severely doubt that its not "fit". The very visual evidence shows that the human population as a whole is living longer and taller due to our milk consumption. Half of the teenagers I've seen here in BJ are about a foot and a half taller than their parents generation, again most likely due to the increased dairy consumption.

howzit's picture howzit Submitted by Guest on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 13:30

Actually no milk is healthy for human consumption. Cow's milk (like any animals milk - including humans) is created by solely by the expectant mother for their young and not for human comsumption.

Considering a cow has 3 separate stomachs to digest the milk and humans only have 1, the human digestive system simply cannot handle it.

There is a lot of documentation available from reputable doctors and professors that clearly state and scientifically prove that cow's milk is simply not fit for human consumption.

The closest animal milk (besides human's) that is fit for human consumption is goat's milk.

How often has a human mother used her milk to eat her cereal in the morning? Or how often has she expressed her milk to make herself or her husband a cup of coffee? Makes one wonder doesn't it?

hksearching's picture hksearching Submitted by Guest on Mon, 09/22/2008 - 10:39

HK news reported this morning that some Nestle products have tested positive for melamine.

http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?main&20080922&56&524463

It's likely hitting HK kids too.
http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?main&20080922&56&524459

MLVarrall's picture MLVarrall Submitted by Guest on Sun, 09/21/2008 - 01:54

So what about that nice pure yoghurt in clear plastic tubs you can get from Jenny Lou's or April Gourmet's (et al?) for around Y7 - anyone got any ideas where the milk is from? My morning cereal experience is being seriously compromised.

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