China's food and drug regulator has ordered a ban on eight products manufactured by four mainland-based companies after they were found to be tainted with an industrial chemical.

In a circular issued Saturday, the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) asked catering firms to immediately stop purchasing or using the banned products, which inspectors have found to be contaminated with DEHP, a plasticizer that may cause hormonal malfunctions in children if consumed in large doses.

Among the products listed are a guava flavoring additive made by Guangzhou Meiyi Flavors & Fragrances Co., Ltd.; green tea powder, liquid butter oil and egg milk-flavored oil produced by Jiangmen Goody's Food Co., Ltd. and a bread yeast improver produced by Jiangmen Jhan Wang Food Co., Ltd., all of which are based in south China's Guangdong Province.

The other three banned products are osmanthus, green tea and almond flavoring additives produced by a food additive manufacturer based in the city of Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The SFDA urged tightened inspection efforts from food safety workers at local levels in order to prevent local catering enterprises from purchasing or using the above-mentioned eight products.

Listed products that have already been purchased by catering firms should be sealed immediately and recalled, the SFDA said.

Local food safety inspection agencies have been asked to make daily reports concerning any new findings regarding the eight problematic food additives.

The Chinese mainland has halted imports of 948 products made in Taiwan, including beverages, food products and food additives, that were believed to be tainted with the chemical, DEHP.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2011)