China executed a dairy farmer and a milk salesman Nov. 24 for their roles in the sale of contaminated baby formula — severe punishments that Beijing hopes will assuage public anger, reassure importers and put to rest one of the country's worst food safety crises.

The two men were the only people put to death in a scheme to boost profits by lacing milk powder with melamine; 19 others were convicted and received lesser sentences. At least six children died after drinking the adulterated formula and more than 300,000 were sickened.

Beijing is eager to show it has responded swiftly to eliminate problems in its food production chain that have spawned protests at home and threatened its export-reliant economy.

The milk powder contamination struck a nerve with the public because so many children were affected but was only one in a series of product recalls and embarrassing disclosures of lax public health safeguards.