Singapore says third Chinese product contaminated

SINGAPORE - Singapore has found traces of a toxic chemical in a third Chinese-made dairy product as a scandal over tainted milk spreads across Asia, authorities said Sunday.

Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, known as AVA, said samples of White Rabbit-brand Creamy Candy imported from China were contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical that can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.

Authorities on Friday suspended the sale and import of all Chinese milk and dairy products after finding melamine in samples of a Yili-brand yogurt bar and Dutch Lady-brand strawberry milk manufactured in China. The ban includes milk, ice cream, yogurt, chocolate, biscuits and candy, as well as any other products containing milk from China as an ingredient.

"Retailers and importers have been instructed to recall these products and withhold them from sale," the AVA said in a statement. "Consumers who have bought the affected products are advised not to consume them."

Melamine has been blamed in China for four infant deaths and illnesses in 6,200 who drank tainted milk powder. A 3-year-old girl in Hong Kong was also diagnosed with a kidney stone after drinking milk containing melamine.

Since the problem of tainted milk products became public knowledge less than two weeks ago, the crisis has spread to include almost all of China's biggest dairy companies. Their products have been pulled from stores around the country, and in other places such as the self-governing Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau. Starbucks stopped offering milk in its 300 outlets in China.

Hong Kong's two main supermarket chains said Sunday that they were recalling milk powder made by Swiss manufacturer Nestle after a newspaper reported it contains melamine.

Taiwanese company King Car Co. announced it has recalled packs of its Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea containing contaminated milk powder imported from China.

Japan recalled Chinese-made dairy products, and the governments of Malaysia and Brunei announced bans on milk products from China even though neither country currently imports Chinese dairy items.

Associated Press writer Scott McDonald contributed to this report.

NEWS