Hong Kong's two major supermarket chains recalled popsicle products yesterday after samples were found to contain melamine, the substance found to have contaminated milk powder of the mainland's largest producer of powdered milk, Sanlu.

The laced products were supplied by Yili, one of the largest dairy-products manufacturers on the mainland.

The presence of the substance was discovered by the Centre for Food Safety (FSC).

After testing 27 ice cream and milk samples, the FSC found that a Shanghai-manufactured Yili product called "Natural Choice Yogurt Flavored Ice Bar with Real Fruit" (90ml) contained 15 ppm (parts per million) of melamine.

"It will not cause huge health risk under normal consumption," a spokesman for the FSC said.

Melamine wasn't found in a Yili sample of "Yili High Calcium Low Fat Milk Beverage".

With reference to the US Food & Drug Association guidelines, the maximum daily intake of melamine is 0.63 mg per kg.

This means that to exceed the maximum daily intake, a 30kg child would have to eat more than 11 of the contaminated popsicles, and a 60 kg adult would have to consume more than 22.

The spokesman said it is possible that the utensils were contaminated during the manufacturing process.

The FSC said it will uncover where the contamination occurred and added that the manufacturer would recall the tainted products.

The two major supermarket chains in Hong Kong - Wellcome and ParknShop - yesterday announced they would immediately stop selling all Yili ice cream products.

Consumers may get refunds for Yili ice cream products at any Wellcome outlet, and receipts aren't required, as a spokeswoman with the retailer acknowledged that many people throw them away.

The spokeswoman declined to speculate on whether Yili milk products would also be recalled.

A spokeswoman for ParknShop also confirmed yesterday that the retailer had removed Yili ice cream products from its shelves.

The company will follow the government's instructions on whether to stop selling Yili milk products, she said.

Kidney specialist Choi Kin said that the extent of the harmful effects of melamine is still unknown.

Doctors are also not sure of the effects of eating food contaminated with melamine for an extended period, Choi said.

He said the effects of the chemicals will have to be studied.

Customers said they have lost confidence in Yili milk products.

"I didn't expected the product of such a well-known company would be contaminated," a customer named Eric Wong said.

He said he has eaten five or six Yili popsicles over the past month, but he didn't notice any adverse effects.

"The product is tasty and cheaper than other brands, but I will not compromise my health," he said.

(HK Edition 09/17/2008 page1)