Hydrogenated vegetable oil and natural food used to produce milk powder are the main sources of trans-fat acids detected in infant formula, a Chinese official said on Wednesday following a negative media report on the subject.

"It's normal for trans-fat acids to be found in infant formula," said Wang Zhutian, an official with the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, at a press briefing.

The remarks are a clear refutation of an earlier media report that claimed three popular mainland infant milk brands contain "trans-fat that experts say could lead to heart disease and should be avoided by infants," citing tests that found 0.4 to 0.6 grams of trans-fat per 100 grams of milk powder.

However, the official said there has been no evidence to illustrate that trans-fat acids from the contents of natural food can bring negative effect to human health.

Under China's national standards on infant formula, the levels of total fat in every 100 grams of milk powder should be no more than three percent, and hydrogenated vegetable oils are prohibited in production.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the China Food and Drug Administration noted that the levels of trans-fat acids in Chinese mainland infant formula are within national and international safety standards, adding that such content is also found in imported milk powder. Endi

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