China Orders Total Milk Recall

In an effort to reassure its milk-drinking public, China has issued a complete recall on any milk, powdered or liquid, made more than a month ago, the BBC reports. The products will return to shelves only after passing a quality test and receiving an approval sticker, according to the state news service. It is the first such blanket recall since last month’s tainted milk scandal.

Even brands that have passed quality tests in the past are supposed to be pulled from shelves. But the BBC’s China editor reports that many stores are flouting the directive, selling milk without the new labels. China’s milk producers are believed to have deliberately added a toxic chemical to their milk to improve its appearance; the resulting products left four children dead and thousands more sickened. (More China stories.)