Twenty-three children in the Philippines were hospitalized after eating sweets made in China, officials said yesterday.
The pupils, aged nine and 10, were rushed to hospital on Thursday suffering from stomach aches, vomiting and dizziness after eating candy given out at a birthday party on Bantayan Island near Cebu.
Romelo Mates, an adviser at an elementary school in the town of Madridejos, said that according to its wrapper, the Ube Milk Candy was made in Guangdong, China.
Mates told local media the children were kept in overnight for observation and four were given intravenous liquid after showing signs of weakness.
The Cebu provincial government is now examining the sweets.
Last month, the Philippines education department banned four Chinese food products from school canteens following reports they contained cancer-causing formaldehyde.
China has been battling to improve the reputation of its products amid fears over food safety.
Industrial oils, acid, cancer-causing chemicals and other dangerous ingredients have been found in thousands of food items such as baby milk powder, rice and flour.
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