Marudai to recall 5 products that may contain tainted milk from China+

OSAKA, Sept. 21 Kyodo -
Marudai Food Co. said Saturday it has begun recalling five of its products
suspected of containing milk tainted with the toxin melamine that was imported
from a major Chinese dairy firm and caused fatalities in China.
In Tokyo, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided to advise food
makers' associations to check whether the products of their member companies
contain the chemical melamine.
A total of 2,500 bags of the products in question, which include pastries and
steamed meat buns, were distributed on the market between April and August this
year, and most of them have already been consumed by the public, according to
Marudai, based in the city of Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture.
Major supermarket stores such as Ito-Yokado Co. and Jusco, operated by Aeon
Co., pulled all products in question off their shelves Saturday.
So far, there have been no reports of health problems, Marudai said.
''The amount of milk used is small and even if it contains melamine it would
not cause any harm to human health,'' a Marudai official said.
But the contamination with toxin of Chinese-made ingredients is expected to
rekindle fears among Japanese consumers about the safety of Chinese products,
following food poisoning incidents involving Chinese-made frozen dumplings
earlier this year.
A Marudai subsidiary in China bought contaminated raw milk produced by Chinese
dairy firm Yili through trading house Sumitomo Corp. The milk was then used in
making processed food products, most of which were imported into Japan, Marudai
said.
Earlier on Saturday, Marudai reported to the health insurance center in
Takatsuki about the possibility of their products containing melamine-laced
milk and provided an inventory of the products to the authorities. The center
is now checking if any melamine is in the products.
In China, traces of melamine have been found in milk products produced by
several dairy firms. So far, at least four infants have been killed and
thousands more have fallen ill after consuming such tainted milk products,
according to news reports.
In the wake of the incidents in China, Marudai moved to look into its
purchasing structure and found out that raw milk produced by Yili was used in
its products, the company said.
Through food organizations, the health ministry will instruct Japanese
importers of processed food to examine their products and urge them to recall
any products found to contain melamine.
According to government figures, the volume of milk and milk products imported
into Japan from China is lower than those imported from Australia and New
Zealand.
But if they are used as an ingredient in processed foods, the existing
statistical surveys only show the use of Chinese milk or milk ingredients in
Japanese products, not the amounts contained in them.
Marudai has advised customers who have bought the products to call toll-free to
0120-338845 for further information.