France withdraws contaminated Chinese sweets

PARIS (Reuters) - France banned on Friday the sale of two brands of Chinese-made sweets and biscuits that it said had been contaminated with malamine-tainted milk -- the latest country hit by the widening health scandal.

The Agriculture Ministry said in a statement that "White Rabbit" sweets and "Koala" biscuits should be withdrawn from sale and destroyed.

"The first results of tests carried out in France revealed a level of malamine that is above the danger level set by the European Commission," the statement said.

It added however that it was not aware of anyone falling ill after eating the products.

At least four Chinese infants have died and thousands have been treated in hospital after drinking malamine-tainted milk and milk formula that has led to Chinese-made products being pulled off shelves around the world.

The formula was laced with the chemical to cheat nutrition tests, the latest in a long line of Chinese food and product safety scandals involving items as diverse as fish, drugs, toys, toothpaste, tires and pet food.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Charles Dick)