More Chinese products pulled

2008-10-04 14:34

Seoul - South Korea, Australia and Japan on Saturday pulled melamine-contaminated sweets and drinks from supermarket shelves amid a widening scandal over Chinese milk products tainted with the toxic chemical.

Authorities in Seoul ordered Mars and Nestle to pull three products after melamine, which is usually used for making plastics, was detected in snacks made in China by the multinationals.

The industrial chemical had been found in M&M's milk chocolate snack and Snickers peanut Fun Size, both produced by Mars, and Kit Kat chocolate bars imported from Nestle Tianjin in China, Korea Food and Drug Administration said.

"Mars is recalling these products because it is legally obligated to do so following the announcement by the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA)," Mars said in a statement.

Melamine has been blamed for making thousands of infants ill and killing four in mainland China after it tainted baby milk powder in arguably the worst in a litany of product safety scandals involving Chinese-made goods in recent years.

Melamine added to milk

Since first appearing in baby milk formula, melamine has been found in a range of products containing Chinese milk.

The chemical was added to milk before being sold to dairy manufacturers in a bid to falsely boost protein readings, Chinese authorities have said.

A fourth Chinese milk product has been withdrawn from sale in Australia after tests revealed it was tainted with melamine, Food Standards Australia New Zealand said in a statement.

"Consumers are advised not to consume Kirin milk tea made in China," the organisation said.

The Australian food watchdog has already recalled White Rabbit sweets and Chinese-made Cadbury chocolate eclairs, while importers of Lotte Koala Biscuits have undertaken a precautionary withdrawal of the product.

A Japanese importer, meanwhile, began recalling Chinese chocolates suspected of being contaminated with melamine.

The western Japanese city of Osaka said a test showed the chemical had been detected in "Chocolate Pillows" imported from China by Osaka-based NS International.

- AFP