The national food safety authority said Monday that the tins of knockoff baby powder discovered on sale in Shanghai last year do not pose a health risk, adding that they are investigating where these tins have been sold.
The Shanghai Food and Drug Safety Administration announced on its website on Monday that they are working with the local public security bureau to investigate where the fake powder was sold in the seven provincial-level regions that it was shipped to, with a specific focus on the sale of fake powder online.
A spokesman from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) confirmed that they have determined the fake powder does not pose a danger to babies, following a preliminary investigation.
In September 2015, the Shanghai public security bureau was informed that fake Abbott brand milk powder was on sale in the city, according to The Beijing News. In total 17,000 of tins of powder were sold in Zhengzhou, Xuzhou, Changsha, Yanzhou and other places, and the sellers earned 2 million yuan ($307,692) illegally.
Abbott Laboratories admitted Monday on its website that it informed the authorities.
Six suspects have been arrested and one other is under investigation.
The spokesman added the CFDA instructed the Shanghai food safety authorities to look into the case.
The State Council food safety office also assigned personnel to Shanghai to investigate the case, punishing fraudulent conduct and guaranteeing the safety of milk powder.
The spokesman told the public to be wary when buying milk powder online in case of fraud.
The Sanlu Group, one of China's largest dairy producers, was involved in a scandal in 2008 in which six infants died and an estimated 300,000 were affected, reports said.
