tainted confectionery-probe

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities said Saturday that they expect to find five to 10 more Chinese-made food products tainted with the harmful chemical melamine.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) said that judging by the three
cases of melamine found in the 126 types of products checked, up to 10 more may
be found since 302 more items are undergoing scrutiny.
After confirming the discovery of two confections contaminated with the
industrial chemical on Thursday, the KFDA said a creamer used in instant coffee
mixes was found to contain small quantities of melamine the following day.
The nitrogen-based chemical can pose health risks if consumed in large
quantities. It is used widely in kitchen utensils like ladles, but because of its
nitrogen, it can fraudulently increase apparent protein content levels,
translating into higher prices for food products. The chemical has caused a
scandal in China, where some manufacturers used it in baby formulas, causing the
death of at least four infants.
The KFDA, which ordered all of its staff to report to work over the weekend, said
it has collected all Chinese products containing powdered milk sold on the
market, and pledged that all inspections will be completed by next Friday. The
emphasis of the tests is on food eaten by children.
It said that if additional products are discovered to contain the chemical, they
will be destroyed, with new information on blacklisted food to be posted on its
Internet homepage every day at www.kfda.go.kr.
The authority under the health ministry issued an order on Friday to halt the
sale of all Chinese foods containing dairy for the time being as a precaution.