RECALL ALERT: Toxic Milk in Japanese Snacks

Lovers of Japanese snacks beware!

Marudai Food Co. just recalled 5 of its snack products, due to fears that they were made with tainted milk. The Chinese-produced milk may contain traces of melamine, a toxin known to cause kidney stones in infants.

It’s been a bad few weeks for the Chinese diary industry. In addition to exporting questionable fresh milk to Japan, it was revealed on Sept. 9 that the Chinese diary producer Yili Industrial Co. had been supplying infants with contaminated powdered milk. Apparently, suppliers to companies like Yili Industrial put melamine in their milk to make it appear more protein-heavy.

These sketchy health standards have provoked nearby countries to outlaw Chinese milk. In fact, several African governments just banned Chinese diary products, after roughly 52,000 Chinese infants were poisoned with melamine-tainted formula.

So folks, if you happen to have one of Marudai Food’s 5 recalled snacks lying around the house (”Cream Panda,” “Matcha Azuki Milk Man,” “Gratin Crepe Corn,” “Kakuni Pao” and “Mocchiri Niku Man”) DO NOT let your infant daughter gnaw on them! Believe me, her kidneys will thank you.

Prices on Airline Snacks are Up, Up, and Away

This just in: JetBlue Airlines might start offering customers a “premium snack service,” which would include VitaminWater and Rockstar Engergy drinks. A little strange, don’t you think? I imagine that most people flying JetBlue aren’t in an economic position to shell out $3 for a VitaminWater, so what are the JetBlue execs thinking?

Three guesses:

1. their current image could use a little work (even Tracey Ullman takes some shots on YouTube)
2. they just really, really like Raspberry Apple VitaminWater (so energizing! it’s like you’re drinking a yoga class!)
3. the airline is making so little money that it’s ready to gamble on a half-baked premium scheme, while secretly contemplating charging customers for the snacks it already offers.

Of course, JetBlue execs say they’re not going to start pricing their free snacks, but it’s hard to believe them. United Airlines recently raised snack prices to $9, and with fuel prices escalating daily, I doubt it will be long before other airlines follow suit. Ahhh, yeah. Nothing like a $5 bag of pretzels to brighten up your next red eye.

• BusinessWeek Article on Premium Snack Service