Iran Bans China’s Milk Products

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has banned the imports of dairy products from China over contamination concerns.

“Imports of basic materials, food and drink products made in China, in which milk has been used as an ingredient, are banned,” the Kayhan newspaper quoted a health ministry statement as saying.

A recent contamination scandal has already left thousands of babies ill in China.

Melamine, which is normally used to make plastics, has been found in infant milk formula, sickening nearly 53,000 children and killing four in China.

In one of China’s worst ever product recall scandals, countries from Asia to Europe have decided to suspend imports of Chinese milk products or to withdraw them from the market as the number of products involved grows.

“Those supplying such products will be legally dealt with,” the Iranian health ministry said, adding that the goods will be also seized.

This is while US FDA safety experts have recently reported that except for baby formula, small traces of melamine are not troublesome in other foods.

Recently, melamine-tainted baby formula has sickened thousands of Chinese babies, leading to several deaths caused by kidney failure.

The presence of the chemical in other manufactured goods including candy, chocolate and coffee drinks made from Chinese dairy products has worsened the condition leading to a global food safety concern.

FDA health officials, however, have claimed that eating food tainted with minuscule amounts of melamine, even on a regular basis, is not associated with any health risks.

The report also found amounts less than 2.5 parts per million of the chemical in food products to be safe. It, however, insists that the presence of any amount of melamine and melamine-related compounds is harmful in baby formula.