CHINA'S FOOD SAFETY WATCHDOG BANS TAINTED TAIWAN PRODUCTS

BEIJING, June 3 (Bernama) -- China's food safety watchdog has banned
restaurants in the country from selling or using beverages, food products and
food additives produced by 10 Taiwanese companies, suspected to have been
tainted with a cancer-causing plastic additive.

In an urgent notice, the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) ordered
all restaurants not to purchase or use food and food additives containing
plasticisers.

Taiwan's health authorities had detected DEHP, an illegal additive, in some
bottled beverages and dairy products.

DEHP is a type of plasticiser used to make plastic soft and pliable.

In another development, computer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard(HP) will
recall 78,740 laptop batteries sold in China that posed a potential fire risk.

Produced between July 2007 and May 2008, the batteries could overheat
and melt down, possibly sparking a fire.

In a statement, the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said HP would replace the batteries free of
charge.

HP recalled 34,573 laptop batteries in China in May 2009 and May 2010 for
the same reason, AQSIQ added.