Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of complaints of worm-infested chocolates on sale in the state, Kerala health department on October 20 banned the sale of one batch each of Cadbury and Nestle chocolates after worms were detected in them.

Searches conducted by food inspectors in shops in Parassala, and Pattom in the city found that chocolate bars of batch 'INRORAS W-6' of Nestle and '245313' of Cadbury's, both manufactured in June 2003, were infested with worms, state health director Dr V K Rajan said.

Food inspectors across the state had been instructed to search and seize chocolates of these two batches and intensify the examination of other batches of products of the confectionary majors, he said.

Instructions had also been issued to ensure that chocolates and confectionaries were kept in proper hygienic conditions to prevent their contamination posing health hazard to consumers.

Complaints of live worms crawling in bars of chocolates were reported from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi last week.

PTI