A Chinese sweet maker has stopped domestic sales of one of its best-known brands after it was found to contain the industrial chemical melamine.

The company, Guanshengyuan, has already halted exports of the popular White Rabbit candy, made from milk.

It is the latest development in the food safety scandal involving milk contaminated with melamine.

A growing number of countries have already banned or restricted imports of Chinese products containing milk.

The news comes just days after China's food safety regulators said that recent food safety problems had been brought under control.

In China the tainted milk China lifts Internet curbs at Games centre ...
First China-Taiwan charter flight since 1949 arrives in Taiwan ... has made 53,000 children ill and killed four.

The World Health Organisation's China representative said the scandal may have peaked but said there could be more deaths.

"We might be starting to see the end of it, even if I don't think we are yet at that level, because there is now vigorous testing, not only in China, but in other countries," said Hans Troedsson.

Canada's food safety regulator has recommended a recall of White Rabbit sweets while authorities in Singapore said they found melamine in samples of the product imported from China.

The Philippines has also ordered Chinese-made dairy products off the shelves.

The European Union is banning imports of Chinese baby food that contains any traces of milk, while other Chinese food will be tested.

Melamine is usually used to make plastic. It can primarily affect the kidneys.

(BBC)

<< Back