China diary companies apologise over toxic milk scandal

13/10/2008 20:13:58

Three Chinese dairy companies have publicly apologised for their involvement in a toxic milk scandal.

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, Mengniu Dairy and Bright Dairy Group were found earlier to have produced milk contaminated with melamine, a compound used to cheat nutrition tests.

The scandal has savaged the companies' share prices and prompted Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks to pull Mengniu milk from its 300-plus stores last month.

The executives from the three companies have promised consumers that their products prices would not rise despite higher costs of quality controls.

The scandal killed four babies, left 53 thousand others ill and has rocked faith in the safety of Chinese-made products.

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