The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the move as part of its ongoing strategy to address contamination with the industrial chemical melamine of consumer products exported from China.

It stated: “FDA has expanded its import controls on Chinese dairy products, and food and feed products manufactured in China that contain dairy ingredients.

“This action will help ensure that only Chinese dairy products and food and feed products manufactured in China that contain dairy ingredients are not contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds reach US consumers”

An FDA import alert has been in place since October 10, 2008, for specific products found contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds.

Now, after collecting additional information on the scope of the melamine contamination problem in China, it said a countrywide import alert is warranted. This covers all milk products, milk derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk.