Buffalo mozzarella cheese is on sale in a shop in downtown Paris March 28, 2008. Italy has made satisfactory progress in controlling cases of mozzarella cheese found contaminated by cancer-causing dioxins and is not facing any EU trade ban at this stage, the European Commission said on Friday.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ROME, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission (EC) announced on Friday it was satisfied with Italian action on a mozzarella dioxin scare, according to Italian News Agency ANSA.

    The European Commission said it saw no reason for further action on the scare, which has hit exports of the famed Italian cheese.

    Commission spokeswoman Nina Papadoulaki expressed "satisfaction" with the measures Italy had taken on the scare, praising Italian authorities for blocking cheese from suspect farms.

    Italian Health Minister Livia Turco asked the European Commission to work together in checking mozzarella, one of the main products of the Campania region whose tourist industry has been laid low by a months-long trash crisis.

    Farm Minister Paolo De Castro welcomed the EC decision, saying "we were expecting it."

    He told ANSA the European Commission wanted to be sure that milk from suspect farms had been stopped.

    The European Commission said Thursday that "safeguard measures" might be needed for Campania mozzarella production.

Buffalo mozzarella cheese is on sale in a shop in downtown Paris March 28, 2008. Italy has made satisfactory progress in controlling cases of mozzarella cheese found contaminated by cancer-causing dioxins and is not facing any EU trade ban at this stage, the European Commission said on Friday.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Italian health police swept through Campania on Friday to carryout inspections and check hygiene certificates at mozzarella plants and buffalo farms.

    Earlier this week Italy halted production at more than 80 plants after excessive levels of dioxin and another dangerous contaminant were found. Work at a dozen farms has since resumed.

    The Italian foreign ministry has issued assurances that no potentially unsafe products have been exported.

    Some reports have linked the dioxin scare to the Campania trashcrisis but Italian scientists have rebutted these suggestions, saying the excessive dioxin traces probably came from contaminated feed.

    Health officials have said the contamination of buffalo milk and mozzarella has been "limited and only slightly above acceptable levels."

    The vast majority of herds producing buffalo milk in the area and the mozzarella produced were free from any contamination, they said.

    According to mozzarella producers, the contamination scare has already resulted in a 30 percent drop in sales and losses of some 30 million euros.