Mengniu Milk Additive Safe -- China Health Officials

The additive OMP, or osteoblast milk protein, in one of Mengniu Dairy's premium products is "not harmful to human health," according to an online statement posted by the China's Ministry of Health (MOH).
Two weeks earlier, MOH ordered Mengniu to stop production of its OMP-containing product, Milk Deluxe, while it conducted tests to make sure the additive is safe.

OMP is imported from New Zealand via a Shanghai-based food technology company and has safety certification from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, MOH said in its online statement Friday.

Mengniu used OMP in dairy production without notifying MOH and regulators, however, and the Inner Mongolia-based dairy could still face penalties. The milk protein has not been approved for use as an additive and needs state approval for import and application, the MOH statement said.

On Saturday, Mengniu told a press conference that it would not recall Milk Deluxe already in the market, as OMP has been declared safe by health authorities.

"We will not call back products already sold on market as it's not a quality issue," said Mengniu Dairy vice president Yang Wenjun told reporters.

Mengniu describe OMP as "common food material" used in overseas markets and said it has been used in milk products in Japan, South Korea, the United States and Taiwan.

"We can breathe a sigh of relief now," Yang admitted, on learning that health authorities had concluded that their milk is safe to drink.

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