Nairobi — Anxiety gripped major retail chains on Tuesday following the Kenya Bureau of Standards' ban on milk and related products from China.

A spot-check by the Nation found out that major retailers had pulled the products from their shelves. Some workers in a major retail outlet revealed that the products had been removed on instructions from the management.

Announcing the ban on Monday, Kebs managing director Dr Kioko Mang'eli said that the ban was in force for products from China and proximate territories.

Four have died

It has been estimated that nearly 53,000 children in China have been taken ill by milk powder contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.

Melamine is a toxic chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics and fertiliser.

The Chinese Health ministry announced that about 13,000 of the victims remain in hospital. As of Tuesday four children had died and at least 104 remained in serious conditions.

Melamine is believed to have been added by suppliers trying to cut costs because the chemical's high nitrogen content can help disguise watered-down milk, making it appear to have the same protein content as regular milk.

Seeking directions

Nakumatt Holdings Operations director Thiagarajan Ramamurthy told the Nation that they were deliberating on the way forward as at the moment it was hard to authenticate the exact effect the directive will cause to the market.

"Apart from milk and related products there is need to study on other foodstuffs from China in the market. We are seeking direction from the government whether the ban also affects other food products," Mr Ramamurthy said.

Most of the consumers that the Nation spoke to were not aware of the kind of banned milk products.