Chinese consumers remain suspicious of domestic milk formulas, following the 2008 melamine scandal which left six babies dead and thousands of others ill.
Since then, demand for foreign formula has surged.
But in 2013, parents were given reasons to doubt even the foreign brands.
Whey protein produced in May 2012 by New Zealand’s biggest exporter Fonterra was found to contain clostridium botulinum, which can cause highly toxic food poisoning.
Imports of New Zealand’s dairy products account for an estimated 40 percent of China’s infant food market.
No one has been sickened by Fonterra milk products, but Chinese parents still say they now don’t know what kind of brand to choose, given the current situation.
«Domestic brands are no good, and now foreign brands are no good either. I have no idea how to choose. »
«As parents, we want our baby to be healthy, so I want to buy milk powder that we can trust. But now foreign products aren’t any good either.»
In August, Chinese authorities halted all imports of New Zealand milk powders.
Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings has since apologized for the anxiety caused by the contaminated baby formula.
At the same time, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is serious about the issue, saying he wants a government inquiry into the scandal to allay Chinese consumer fears.
But New Zealand food safety official Scott Gallacher says the bacteria found in Fonterra dairy products in China is not one that can cause botulism.
«No botulism bacteria has been detected in any product that we have sent to testing.»
For the domestic dairy industry, the Fonterra scare presents an opportunity to regain the trust of Chinese consumers.
Wu Songhang, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Mother-Infant-Child Industry Association says the domestic dairy industry is facing a huge challenge to rebuild its reputation.
«Domestic dairy companies need to put quality as their priority in the process of gaining consumers. At the same time, the government’s supervision and inspection needs to be specified and carried out more efficiently. »
It has become common for Chinese people to buy baby formula while traveling outside the mainland, but they can no longer buy as much as they want.
In March, Hong Kong put limits on the amount of milk powder a person can take with them over the border, limiting travelers to 1.8 kilograms of formula.
That is about two cans of powder.
The restrictions were imposed after parents in Hong Kong complained they were having trouble finding formula for their own children.
People caught smuggling more powder over the border can be fined up to 500-thousand Hong Kong dollars or about 60-thousand US dollars, and can be jailed for up to two years.
A number of countries have followed Hong Kong’s lead to prevent Chinese parents from buying too much baby formula, including Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia.
In the wake of the Fonterra scandal, China’s Ministry of Commerce has stepped up inspections for all imported dairy products.
Revised regulations on the mainland will also significantly increase standards for domestic infant formula producers, affecting product safety control, the purchase of raw materials, inspection, the manufacturing process and product traceability.
As of late October, Chinese residents can buy up to a dozen domestic or foreign baby formula brands at pharmacy ATMs, a move aimed at improving consumer confidence in such products.
In a broader move to ensure food saftey in 2014, Chinese authorities have unveiled several new measures ranging from legislative amendments to penalties for food safety violations.
Source: Cri.English
