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China has
discovered excessive levels of a cancer-causing toxin in milk produced by one
of the nation's leading dairy companies, the firm said, in the latest in a
series of food safety alarms.
The
government's quality watchdog found high levels of an aflatoxin, which is
caused by mould, in milk produced by the Mengniu Dairy Group, the company said
in a statement issued Sunday.
Mengniu
said the milk, produced at one of its plants in the southwestern province of
Sichuan, was tested before being sold so the contaminated milk never reached
the market.
China is
trying to crack down on product safety violations to reassure citizens and
restore faith in the government after a series of high--profile scandals.
Milk was at
the centre of China's biggest food safety scandal in 2008 when the industrial
chemical melamine was found to have been illegally added to dairy products to
give the appearance of higher protein content.
At least
six babies died and another 300,000 became ill after drinking milk tainted with
melamine.
Product
safety problems have been found in goods ranging from pharmaceuticals to
cooking oil. In September, the government arrested 32 people over the sale of
cooking oil made from leftovers taken from gutters.
Aflatoxins
can be found in milk after cows consume feed contaminated by mould and can
increase the risk of cancer, including liver cancer, according to the World Health
Organization.
Mengniu
said the products had been destroyed, and apologized to consumers.
The General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine made the
latest discovery in nationwide testing of 200 dairy products made by 128
companies, the agency said separately.
AFP
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