Nearly 53,000 Chinese Babies Sickened By Tainted Formula

The number of children sickened in China from contaminated baby formula has grown to nearly 53,000, including four infants who died. The head of China's food safety watchdog group has resigned for failing to stop the widespread formula contamination that may have been going on since late 2007.

Investigators recently revealed that Sanlu Group Co., China's biggest producer of powdered milk, had received reports as early as December 2007 that their baby formula was linked to illness in infants. Tests would later show that the formula was tainted with melamine, the same chemical that killed dogs and cats in the U.S. when it was used in pet foods made in China. Melamine has been found in baby formula from 22 of China's dairy companies. Melamine is high in nitrogen, and it may have been added to watered-down milk because it covers up protein deficiency.

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