Energy Finance

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will set new quality standards for its Chinese suppliers, following a series of scandals involving Chinese-made products, which account for a major portion of the company’s sales.

Meanwhile, the United Nations recommended China increase oversight of its food safety system and hold businesses accountable for their products, amid the latest scandal involving tainted milk products.

Melamine, used to make plastics and fertilizer, was recently found in Chinese-made baby formula. The product has been blamed for the deaths of four babies and sickening another 54,000 children. It was added to infant formula to artificially boost nitrogen levels and make it seem higher in protein when tested.

Dozens of countries have pulled Chinese-made goods with dairy ingredients off their shelves to test for melamine. Contamination has turned up in Chinese-made powered and liquid milk, yogurt and other products made with milk.

Confidence in Chinese products has been sagging after high levels of industrial toxins were found last year in exports ranging from toothpaste to toys.

In 2007, melamine was found in a Chinese-made pet food ingredient and blamed in the deaths of dozens of dogs and cats in North America.

Later that year, Mattel Inc. recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys worldwide because they contained lead paint or tiny, detachable magnets that might be swallowed.

Chinese-made cribs were part of a recall this week by New York-based Delta Enterprises. The cribs were recalled due to missing safety pegs.

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