Chinese executives on trial over tainted milk

The chairwoman of the Chinese company at the centre of the contaminated milk scandal that affected countries across the world has gone on trial.

Tian Wenhua appeared with three other company executives at a court in the northern Hebei province. They are charged with producing and selling milk contaminated with melamine. If found guilty they could, potentially, face the death penalty. Melamine, an industrial compound used in making plastics, was allegedly added to baby milk powder to cheat nutrition tests by virtue of its high nitrogen content. At least six children have died and close to 300,000 were made ill from the contaminated milk. The scandal led to massive recalls around the world. Company bosses have been accused of covering up evidence that Chinese children had developed kidney stones from drinking contaminated milk.More about: China

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