Vienna - A milk product laced with a harmful chemical was sold by a Chinese food shop in Vienna according to Austrian authorities, the Austrian news agency APA reported Thursday. The shop sold a milk shake containing above-limit amounts of melamine to a Chinese restaurant, where the sample was found. The restaurant owner claims he bought the product for personal use.
Although high melamine levels were found only in one sample, the product was taken off the market.
As of September 26, the European Union has banned Chinese imports of baby foods containing traces of milk, and imposed mandatory testing on food which consists of more than 15 per cent milk powder. Foods which are already on the EU market are subject to random testing.
Melamine - used in agriculture and plastics - was first discovered in baby formula last month in China. So far, four children have died and 53,000 have fallen ill. The chemical is added to low-quality milk to boost its protein content and fetch a higher price.
