China threatens to ‘severely’ punish milk powder producers after scare

China said that it will enhance monitoring of milk powder producers following a contamination scare at New Zealand’s Fonterra and “severely” punish any companies found to have quality or safety problems.

The China Food and Drug Administration called on firms to improve their management and local supervisory bodies to fully implement rules governing the sector.

“A lack of responsibility, unclear policies and lax supervision led to recent safety issues over infant milk formula, and it is necessary to improve the quality and safety of milk powder to regain consumer confidence,” the agency said in a statement on its website.