More on Milk...GUILTY!

Tian Wenhua, former chairwoman of Shijiazhuang Sanlu Group Co., pleaded guilty at her trial Wednesday to charges of producing and selling fake or substandard products, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. She admitted to knowing of complaints from consumers that Sanlu's milk was tainted as early as May. Sanlu notified Shijiazhuang city officials of the contamination and quietly recalled some of its products from distributors in August, and didn't notify central authorities nor issue a full public recall of its products until September. Authorities estimate that 294,000 children under three years of age were sickened, and six died from ingesting formula made by 22 dairy companies that contained melamine, a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics that artificially boosts the protein content of milk. Many children are still hospitalized. So far, 17 other people, including some accused of selling the melamine mixtures used to adulterate milk, also have appeared in court. The scandal, one of China's biggest food-safety crises to date, has severely damaged the country's dairy industry and has resulted in bans around the world of products containing Chinese dairy ingredients. Sanlu's milk formula contained far higher concentrations of melamine than did other brands. More here.