Melamine found in Snickers, Kit Kat from China: watchdog

(ATTN: ADDS more details in 4th, 7th paras)
SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's food watchdog said Saturday it has
detected quantities of melamine, an industrial chemical, in chocolate products
from foodstuff giants Nestle SA and Mars Inc. that were manufactured in China.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) said 2.38 parts-per millimeter
(ppm) and 1.78 ppm of the toxic substance was discovered each in one samples of
M&M's Milk and Peanut Snickers Fun Size products from Mars Korea.
A Kit Kat bar from Nestle Korea was also found holding 2.89 ppm of melamine in
it, the agency said. The latest discoveries bringing the local number of tainted
food items to 10 amid a broadening Chinese food scandal.
All the products were made in China by the multinationals, according to the
KFDA. The food agency ordered the multinational companies to recall the products
found to contain the industrial chemical.
Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical that can pose serious health risks if taken
in large quantities. It is used widely in kitchen utensils, but if added to
dairy-based food items the nitrogen can artificially increase protein levels,
translating into higher dairy prices.
Chinese health officials have said the use of melamine in dairy products has
killed at least four infants and left 54,000 others ailing from kidney stones or
other illnesses.
South Korea has banned the import of all products containing Chinese powdered milk.
The KFDA is currently in the process of examining 428 processed food manufactured
in China to see whether they contain the hazardous substance. It has finished
checking 288 products as of Saturday morning.