432 Chinese babies sick after being fed tainted milk powder
Posted: 13 September 2008 1841 hrs

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BEIJING - Some 432 babies have developed kidney stones after drinking milk powder contaminated with an industrial chemical, China's health minister said Saturday, vowing to punish those responsible.

"As of September 12, there are 432 cases of kidney stones in the urinary systems of infants according to reports from health departments nationwide," Health Minister Gao Qiang told journalists.

He said local authorities in Hebei province had ordered the Sanlu Group to stop production after finding its milk powder was contaminated.

"We will severely punish and discipline those people and workers who have acted illegally," he said.

Gao added the Sanlu powder had been exported to Taiwan for "food-processing purposes" but had not been sold to any other countries.

He confirmed state media reports that farmers and milk sellers added the industrial chemical melamine to their milk to boost the protein content, causing the kidney stones.

- AFP/ir