BEIJING, March. 23 -- Global giant baby care product maker Johnson & Johnson issued a statement Tuesday, claiming all products it sells in China are in accordance with cosmetics hygiene norms demanded by the Chinese Ministry of Health.

    Some of the company's products in India were recently found to contain ingredients considered harmful for babies.

    The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration in India made an investigation of J&J products and found three of its baby care products, baby oil, skin care lotion and baby shampoo, contained liquid paraffin, a mineral oil not considered safe for babies.

    The administration ordered the company to remove the word "baby" from its products as they did not use ingredients that qualified as child care ingredients.

    It said the usage of the word "bab" was misleading as chemicals used in J&J products were in no way different from those used in other cosmetic products.

    In the statement issued by the China headquarters of J&J, it said the ingredients used in products produced and sold in China were in accordance with cosmetics hygiene norms required by the Ministry of Health.

    Officials with the publicity department of the Ministry of Health said they were watching the matter closely and were making their own investigations.

    The representative office of J&J in Shenzhen said Tuesday sales of its products remained normal.

    "We haven't received any notice from any administrations to withdraw the J&J products from sale. If there are proven problems with certain products, we will surely take them off the shelves," said a saleswoman at J&J product counter of a Shirble Department Store.

    Many young mothers expressed concern at the news as Johnson & Johnson was almost synonymous with baby products.

    "I will stop using J&J products for my daughter and search for a replacement. But I really have no idea which brand is safe now," said Ms. Kang, the mother of a 2-year-old girl.

(Source: Shenzhen Daily)