Sanlu Group was at the center of the 2008 scandal over contaminated Chinese infant formula.
Sanlu, a major Chinese dairy company partly owned by New Zealand’s Fonterra, became the focus of a nationwide crisis after infants developed kidney problems from formula contaminated with melamine. Melamine is an industrial chemical that can make diluted milk appear to contain more protein in some testing methods, but it is dangerous when consumed at high levels.
Chinese authorities announced the contamination in September 2008. The scandal spread beyond Sanlu as other dairy products were also found to contain melamine. Hundreds of thousands of children were affected, and several infants died from related illness. Sanlu stopped production and later entered bankruptcy.
The case is sometimes called the Chinese milk scandal or Chinese milk powder scandal. Sanlu was the best-known company involved, but it was not the only dairy producer whose products were contaminated. Former Sanlu chairwoman Tian Wenhua received a life sentence.