China opens probe after food poisonning in Japan

BEIJING, Jan 31 (Reuters) - China's quality watchdog has begun an investigation into how Chinese-made dumplings contaminated with pesticide made 10 people ill in Japan, prompting a recall there.

Japan Tobacco Inc said on Wednesday its subsidiary, JT Foods Co., would recall the frozen dumplings and other food made at the same Chinese factory, as television broadcasters flashed warnings to viewers not to eat the products.

"After we found out this news, we paid great attention to it," China's quality regulator said in an emailed statement sent late on Wednesday.

"We quickly got in touch with relevant parties on the Japanese side to understand the situation, and have already set about investigations," it added. "We will release the results of the probe in a timely manner."

A family of five that ate the dumplings was still in hospital, including a five-year-old girl who had at one point been in critical condition, according to Japan's Health Ministry.

China was hit by a series of food safety scares last year, though officials have said they are adopting new technology and tighter laws to try to ensure safe food both at home and in exports.

Police found pesticide in the dumplings though it was not clear whether the dish, popular with children, had been contaminated with the chemicals in China or in Japan, a Japanese Health Ministry official said.

Japan has not been immune to its own food scares. A number of Japanese confectioners admitted last year to having mislabelled production and expiry dates for cookies and rice cakes.

No widespread health hazards, however, have hit the country since more than 10,000 people suffered food poisoning after drinking tainted milk in 2000. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard)