Govt bans Chinese dairy products

The government has put a ban on import and selling/distribution of dairy and other milk-based products from China.

Amid reports of tainted Melamine mixed milk in China, the government has put a ban on import including selling/distribution of powdered milk, milk-based candies (White Rabbit, a milk-based candy from China, is widely available in Nepal) and other diary products from China until further notice.

Melamine is an inedible chemical compound used to make plastic, fertilizers and adhesives. Melamine has traces of nitrogen which if mixed in milk raises its protein content.

At least 12 countries have banned Chinese diary products amid fears over a widening tainted milk scandal that has killed four Chinese babies and sickened thousands of others.

Most of the children who drank contaminated Chinese milk were diagnosed with kidney stone.

"Apart from banning Chinese dairy products, we have also alerted consumers against buying Chinese dairy products found in the market," Jayaprabha Lama, Managing Director of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control Department, told Kantipur Daily, "until it is proven that the dairy products imported from China is not hazardous to health we advice that the consumers avoid using it." nepalnews.com Sep 25 08