Recalled milk sold to students in China: state media

dairy products that were recalled in southern china to be tested for the deadly chemical melamine were instead dumped at universities and sold to students at a discount, state media reported Thursday.

The milk products were sold in supermarkets and student dormitories in Guangzhou, the capital of guangdong province, the xinhua news agency said, citing a local newspaper.

In one university supermarket, bulk boxes of Mengniu milk and yili yogurt - both suspected brands - were sold for less than 20 yuan (2.90 dollars), or about half the original price, the report said.

The tainted milk scandal emerged when melamine, a chemical normally used to make plastics, was discovered in dairy products produced by dairy giant Sanlu.

The melamine was mixed into the milk to give it the appearance of higher protein levels.

More than 20 Chinese dairy firms were subsequently found to have made tainted products, including milk powder for babies, yoghurt and liquid milk.

Four babies died and at least 53,000 others fell ill after consuming contaminated dairy products, according to official figures.

China this week announced an urgent recall of all dairy products made before September 14 to test them for traces of melamine.

Most of the products sold to students were made before September 14 and should not have been on offer unless they were tested and labelled as safe, the newspaper said.

Despite the potential health concerns, the ultra-cheap offers proved too tempting for some in Guangzhou, including chen gang, a student who normally does not drink milk.

"It's so cheap. I can save some money. I am quite healthy. I guess there would be no problem for me to drink just a little bit," Chen was quoted as saying by the Guangzhou Daily.

Another student, who was not named, said he was hired by milk dealers to peddle the products door-to-door in dormitories, according to the report.

Tags: xinhua news agency,student dormitories,guangdong province,chen gang,protein levels,liquid milk,southern china,drink milk,milk powder,potential health,yili,milk products,dairy products,yoghurt,yuan,plastics,tainted milk,supermarkets,scandal,supermarket

Thursday, October 16, 2008 |

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