March 3, 2009
China health official declares milk additive OMP safe but illegal
The milk additive osteoblast milk protein (OMP) was safe but its import procedure is illegal, Chen Xiaohong, China's vice health minister, told a press conference Monday (Mar 2).
OMP is not yet listed as a legal food material under current food safety law.
Mengniu Dairy, one of China's largest dairy firms, has used it in its product line Milk Deluxe since 2005.
Chen added that the importer of the additive should submit health impact evaluation documents issued by the health authorities of export countries to the Chinese health departments for approval and it should also pass the quarantine inspection.
