Hunan firm pays price for tainted milk

Authorities have ordered a Hunan-based dairy firm to shut down production and recall more than 31 tonnes of an infant milk powder that was found to be tainted with a carcinogenic agent, in the latest safety scare involving the industry.

The order targeting Ava Dairy was made this week by Hunan authorities and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Guangzhou's department of commerce announced on Friday that five batches of the company's Nanshan Bywise baby formula were contaminated with toxic aflatoxin during a regular safety inspection, The Southern Metropolis News reported yesterday.

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by fungus and often found on spoiled food. They can lead to liver damage and cancer.

It was the second recall in the mainland dairy industry in less than six weeks. On June 14, dairy giant Yili Group recalled some baby formula products after abnormal levels of mercury were found.

In a statement posted on its website late on Monday, Ava Dairy said the contamination was the result of cows eating mouldy feed.

The company said the problematic batches were produced between July and December last year and had been sold in Hunan and Guangdong. The statement did not say whether the contaminated milk was also used to produce other dairy products.