Consumers warned over banned products

Shanghai inspection and quarantine authorities have urged the public to be careful while making online purchases abroad.

Officials said they had intercepted nearly 10,000 boxes of yoghurt in 140 batches this year, most of them delivered from France, Germany, Austria and other European countries, the Shanghai Morning Post reported yesterday. Most of the orders for dairy products abroad were made by new mothers, officials said.

But many countries, including China, have a ban on dairy products, except milk powder, over fears of foot-and-mouth disease. The intercepted products were returned or destroyed.

Authorities have also confiscated 112.6 kilograms of sea cucumber and 32 batches of bird's nests this year. Both are prohibited items. Aquatic products like sea cucumber are banned for viruses and parasites, while crude bird's nests may carry highly pathogenic bird flu viruses or may possess excessive content of nitrates.

With Singles Day around the corner and expected online boom, local inspection and quarantine officials, will be working round the clock to strengthen inspection, the paper said. Violators could face a fine of up to 5,000 yuan (US$817).