Dairy company penalized for banned ingredient

Shanghai Bright Dairy has been ordered to remove a cheese product from the shelves after it was found to contain an additive banned in food for babies.

The company will also face further penalties for changing a product's ingredients without authorization, according to Yang Jun, a spokeswoman for the Shanghai municipal government.

Investigations discovered that Shanghai Bright Dairy has been putting a milk mineral into the cheese product since December 2011, according to the Shanghai Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision. The product’s packaging says it is for children aged one to three.

The milk mineral is banned in baby foods because it has not been fully tested for potentially harmful effects, in line with Ministry of Health regulations.

A spokesperson from the company said the product was not just for babies and would be back on shop shelves again in October with new packaging.