China has urged its importers, purchasing dairy products from a New Zealand company, to immediately initiate recall of potentially contaminated products.
The call was given by China's top quality watchdog late Friday after the New Zealand company Fonterra said that some of the dairy products, whey protein produced in May 2012, was found with clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism, a rare but sometimes fatal paralytic illness, the China Daily reported.
China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has demanded the New Zealand side to act immediately for preventing the tainted products from harming Chinese consumers.
It has told quality agencies nationwide to strengthen inspection over milk products from New Zealand.