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A cancer-causing toxin was discovered in five different types of Chinese baby formula just weeks after a recall of formula that had high levels of mercury in another incident affecting China’s scandal-ridden food industry.
Authorities in the southeastern city of Guangzhou found that batches of infant formula manufactured by Chinese dairy firm Hunan Ava Dairy Industry Co. contained aflatoxin, according to a statement from the Guangzhou Industrial and Commercial Administration Bureau last Friday, which was later reported on by state-run media Monday.
Aflatoxin is considered one of the most carcinogenic substances known and is said to cause cancer and acute liver damage. It derives from a type of fungus that grows on grains, peanuts, tree nuts, several spices, and a variety of other foods.
Officials in Guangzhou told retailers to stop selling the products, which are sold under the Nanshan Bywise name and are produced by two subsidiaries of Hunan Ava Dairy Industry, the state-run Global Times reported.
Products manufactured by Bright Dairy—a different company that in late June was forced to recall milk tainted with alkaline water used to clean pipes—are being inspected by local authorities to determine whether its infant formula is tainted with aflatoxin, according to the Times.
A spokesperson with Nanshan Bywise who wished to remain anonymous told the publication on Sunday that the the test results were not yet available. “Until we have verified the news, there won’t be a public statement related to it.”
However, the company published a statement on Monday, offering an apology over the incident, and said it would issue a recall of the affected products, halt production, and stop distribution.
The statement said that “cows ate moldy feed,” leading to the aflatoxin contamination in the batches of infant formula.
It is unclear whether anyone became sick from consuming the tainted products.
China’s dairy industry is no stranger to scandals. In 2008, at least six babies died and 300,000 others were poisoned by milk and milk products tainted with the industrial chemical melamine.
In June, the top producing dairy company by sales, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., recalled some of its products after authorities found elevated levels of mercury. And in December, officials found high levels of aflatoxin in products made by China Mengniu Dairy Co., the second-largest milk producer.
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There seems to be MALICE AFORETHOUGHT here
The Chinese astronauts have “special milk”
indicating that “normal” milk is not “good enough” for them