Got Milk? Got Sick

gotmilk links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 3 May 2012)

The 'Free School Milk' project begun in elementary schools
throughout Turkey, from first to fifth grades, has shocked
both students and parents because of reports of 'poisoning'
from many provinces. The poisonings began in Diyarbakır
and spread to Sivas, Edirne, Istanbul, Konya, Samsun, Adana
and Antalya. Countrywide, 1193 students were taken to
hospitals and in many provinces the milk distribution was
stopped.

//The responsible officials responded to the incident as follows://

Minister for Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry: 'Based on
the information we have, the illness occurred in children with an
extreme sensitivity to milk. There's no question of the milk being
spoiled, stale or of food poisoning. This reaction can be seen in those
drinking milk for the first time. In other words, lactose intolerance.'

Governor of Diyarbakır: 'It's an incident where a few children
complained of an upset stomach. The other children were affected
psychologically. We don't think it's because of the milk.'

National Education Minister: 'The incident is not a case of food
poisoning. Our initial judgement is that the situation was based
on the children's sensitivity to milk.'