Body spread in U.K. sex shop found to have traces of melamine

LONDON — A British sex shop chain has suspended sales of a chocolate body spread found to contain small quantities of the industrial chemical melamine, Britain's food regulator said Monday.

The novelty chocolate spreads were manufactured in Zhongshan, China, and imported into the country by Scobie (Llarn) Ltd, according to Britain's Food Standards Agency. The products were sold in Ann Summers sex shops across Britain.

Chinese-made dairy products have been at the center of a scandal over the deliberate contamination of milk with melamine, a chemical intended to help pass the milk off as higher in protein than it actually is.

The tainted milk has led to four baby deaths and has sickened tens of thousands across China. The scandal has resulted in recalls and the blocking of Chinese imports in numerous countries. The European Union has ordered testing of Chinese-made products such as chocolate, candy and cookies that contain more than 15 percent milk powder. The agency said the sex shop treats had more than 50 times the allowed level of melamine.

It acknowledged that the subject of this particular recall was "a first."

"We've never had to put out an alert before on (body spread) — chocolate-flavored or otherwise," the agency said on its Web site.

"The risk from the melamine in these products is low and it is very unlikely to be harmful," it said.