China dairy products 'see huge markup in quality'

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By CGTN's Wang Hui

A newly-released report shows that Chinese dairy products have seen remarkable improvements in both quality and safety levels.

But many people still haven't forgotten the tainted milk scandal -- which surfaced nine years ago -- and their lack of confidence in China-produced baby formula remains.

The 2017 China Dairy Report shows that the country is now producing about 38 million tons of raw milk products, the world's third highest.

The 2017 China Dairy Report. /CGTN Photo

More importantly, perhaps, it says that infant formula, the cause of much anxiety, is now reliable, while some prohibited additives, particularly melamine, are also no longer an issue.

"The qualified rate for sampling inspection of infant formula was 98.7 percent. The qualified rate for sampling inspection on prohibited additives in raw milk products, including melamine, was 100 percent, for the past eight years in a row,” said Liu Yaqing, secretary-general of the Dairy Association of China.

The 2017 China Dairy Report was released at a press conference in Beijing on July 19, 2017. /CGTN Photo

However, despite all these positive reports, many Chinese consumers remain skeptical about the quality of Chinese dairy products, particularly infant formula.

An infant formula customer, who is four months pregnant, said that she will buy foreign infant formula, when she has a baby in the near future.

“Some years ago, there were problems with Chinese infant formula. Most of my friends also buy these products overseas, so we don't have to worry.”

The distrust comes from a huge food safety scandal.

A tainted milk scandal exploded in China in 2008. It involved milk and infant formula, among other products, that contained melamine. Six babies died from kidney stones and other kidney damage. And more than 50,000 babies were hospitalized.

Babies suffered after a tainted milk scandal. /VCG Photo

However, experts say Chinese dairy products and producers are very different from before, and some Chinese products have not only been certified by the Chinese government, but also by the EU.

One in particular believes tremendous efforts have been made to ensure the quality and safety of Chinese dairy products.

“The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has realized its supervision on all of the specialized bases of milk sources for infant formula, to ensure the safety of raw materials. Also, the government inspects those products and publishes the results every month, to ensure transparency,” said Wang Jiaqi, a professor of the Institution of Animal Sciences at Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Wang Jiaqi, a professor of the Institution of Animal Sciences at Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. /CGTN Photo

But the ice is not that easy to break.

Another infant formula customer, Zhang Yuqin, said she will still buy foreign products.

"I know that the government has put a lot of effort into food safety, but I still would like to buy foreign infant formula for my grandchildren."

VCG Photo

However, another expert says Chinese customers should not have blind faith in foreign brands, and Chinese products are actually a better fit for Chinese babies.

“About 154 batches of imported milk powder were found unqualified in 2016, and the government has destroyed or returned them. And the physical conditions of Chinese and foreign babies are different, the components of Chinese infant formula actually fit Chinese babies better,” said Deng Rongzhen, deputy secretary-general of Dairy Association of China.

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