Confidence in Chinese milk turns sour
Chinese consumers are losing confidence in their country's dairy industry after the latest tainted milk products scandal. Almost 6,500 babies and children have become ill and four have died. Several hundred infants now have extreme kidney failure. Many parents are furious and upset that their young children need operations to remove stones from their kidneys. The reason for this tragedy is milk powder makers adding a poisonous plastic compound to their products. The country's biggest dairy company, the Sanlu Group, admitted finding the deadly melamine chemical in its baby powder. Melamine increases the level of protein in milk. The same chemical has also been found in liquid milk. Supermarkets are clearing their shelves of domestic milk products.
The Chinese government has ordered emergency checks on all dairy products. It found ten per cent of the items it tested contained melamine. Officials have promised consumers that they will punish those responsible for the scandal. China's news agency Xinhua reported: "Local authorities should rectify the dairy industry so as to bring a fundamental change to the dairy market and products." The crisis has spread beyond China's borders, with Malaysia, Singapore and Japan banning Chinese milk imports. Starbucks coffee chain in China has reacted quickly. Hundreds of its coffee shops have stopped serving drinks with milk, which is affecting its business. A company spokesman said this was a precaution "due to the serious nature" of the situation.
VOCABULARY LIST :
lose confidence in - lose trust or faith in a person or thing
sour - to make or become disagreeable, disillusioned, or disenchanted furious - extremely angry melamine - a white crystalline compound used in making melamine resins and for tanning leather rectify - to set right; correct
DISCUSSION POINTS :
1. What springs to mind when you hear the phrase 'consumer confidence'? 2. What companies do you have a lot of confidence in? 3. Would you avoid a company forever if it broke your confidence? 4. Do you worry about the safety of the things you buy? 5. Have you avoided buying food from other countries? 6. Would you trust Chinese dairy products? 7. What "fundamental change" needs to take place in China's dairy industry? 8. What punishment should the dairy companies get? 9. Do you think this crisis badly affects China's image? 10. Have their been food safety scares in your country?
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