China reports no illnesses from tainted milk consumption

No cases of discomfort or sickness due to the consumption of tainted milk powder from New Zealand have been reported in China, the country's food safety authority said Friday. "The center is making more efforts to carry out examinations over the contaminated products," said Li Fengqin, director of the microorganism division of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, in response to a question at a press conference. On Aug. 2, New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra said that some of its whey protein produced in May 2012 was found to be contaminated with clostridium botulinum. On Aug. 4, China's importers began to recall and seal products produced by Fonterra after the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine named four domestic companies that have imported whey products that may be tainted. The China Food and Drug Administration has also told companies to halt sales of and recall all relevant products. Also at the press conference, Deng Haihua, spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said the commission has been cooperating with relevant organs in handling the tainted products.