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| SOURCE: http://chinadivide.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/chinese-officials-discarding-melamine-tainted-milk.jpg |
Melamine is a kind of chemical and it is primarily used in the production of plastics. Playing a role in the industry, melamine is utilized in the various makings such as glues, adhesives, molding compounds, coating, and flame retardants. Interestingly, the chemical is also high in nitrogen which is responsible for making protein. China that time was in the midst of mess, whereas adulteration is widespread in the nation. Adulteration refers to the inclusion of milk volume by adding water and caused to lessen the concentration of protein in which melamine was their solution to their problem. While the parents are feeding their children with a mixture of toxic chemical, the consequences affected their children to suffer from kidney stones and kidney failures.
There are 1 out of every 5 companies in China were involved in a scandal where they put melamine in their milk infant products. Sanlu Group avowed that they deliberately applied melamine in their products to increase the protein apparent content of the milk powder. The unlawful use of melamine was not approved by the authorities even refused by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius. Aiming for money, the culprits have forsaken the fact that the babies were at stake. If this toxic chemical was used for milk products, it is not impossible that there is a usage of melamine to other products. Prioritizing health safety must intensify.
Remarkably, the contamination in milk last 2008, affected nearly 300,000 babies sickened with more than 150 babies were reported as worse cases and unfortunately, 6 infants died. Citizens in China, especially parents, were enraged and frightened in this scandal saying that they didn’t think of milk companies —specifically as Sanlu Group— can market poisonous products. What’s worst in this situation is that after years of this scandal, melamine ruined someone's life again. Enduring the deteriorating pain, a 13-year-old boy primarily had his kidney stone since when he was three and he still has it until 2013. Paying for what they have done, the previous Sanlu’s group chairwoman and 3 others received sentences: life imprisonment for chairwoman and death sentences for the three. The deliberate mistake they did had made many people suffer.
Fonterra, a company that is located mainly in Auckland, was involved in the melamine scandal that happened last 2008. There were 22 companies that market poisonous milk powder where Sanlu Group- a prominent company that centered the issue- was owned by Fonterra. Fonterra holds 43% of Sanlu Group which makes it no way not to be related to the problem. On August 2, 2008, Fonterra gave orders to Sanlu Group for them to examine their products as they were malicious articles about their products. Without expectations, the scandal exploded and burst internationally. Sanlu Group had caused $139 million loss and Fonterra mentioned that it cannot help the company.
The melamine scandal that occurred last 2008, remains a nightmare for the victims in China. Companies that were involved that time were urged to execute the illegal use of melamine to cover up the crisis they were facing—adulteration. Melamine is a chemical that provides many purposes in our industry but it’s also a toxic substance that causes failures in the kidney and could affect humans for a long term. The scandal became more prominent because it targeted innocent babies. After all of the trouble that melamine has caused- there are other issues relating to melamine prior to the melamine scandal in China- shouldn’t we ban it?. The thing is melamine is not the problem, it is the people who are desperate to gain money and these people don’t care who and what they are affecting.
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