More than a dozen types of imported cosmetics from countries where mad cow disease (boving spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE viruses) has been found were seized in Beijing by the city's health and quarantine authorities during their recent market inspection.

The seized makeup products included perfumes, lipsticks and creams of famous brands like Chanel (France), Shiseido (Japan) and Nivea (Germany), according to Gu Qun, director with the supervision office under the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau.

The bureau and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine on Thursday jointly checked the imported cosmetics in markets and beauty parlors around the city.

The seizure was in line with a March 4 notice released by the Ministry of Health, which forbids cosmetics from BSE-discovered countries or regions containing certain animal tissues - including cattle or sheep brain tissue, nerve tissue, internal organs, placenta and blood, or their extracts - from sales in China unless official safety certificates are achieved.

The notice by the Ministry of Health also required domestic businesses withdraw such imports of cosmetics from those countries before the deadline - April 20 or face punishment.

Earlier this week the Ministry of Health released a statement listing two types of animal tissues used as cosmetic components in those BSE-discovered countries and regions. All cosmetic products from those places should be attached with official quarantine certificates showing the products are free of 73 kinds of tissues in List I. Those imported cosmetics comprising 12 other types of animal tissues in List II should further offer component-risk evaluation reports for approval before sales.

(China Daily April 27, 2002)