Wednesday, March 23 2005 12:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: The Chinese Health Ministry said it was making its own investigations into products sold by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), involved in a controversy in India over ingredients in its baby care products, even as the company assured Chinese consumers that it was complying with Government norms.

In the statement issued by the China headquarters of J&J, the global giant said that 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, Xinhua news agency reported on its website.

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

The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration had found three of its baby-care products, baby oil, skincare 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 childcare ingredients.

The representative office of J&J in Shenzhen said yesterday (Mar 22, 2005) that sales of its products remained normal, 'Shenzhen Daily' reported.