July 27/Beijing /Indo-Asian News Service -- China has banned artificial edible flavors in certain foodstuff, including baby food and dairy products.

In a law passed July 26, China's ministry of health prohibited the use of artificial flavors in food such as milk, cream, vegetable and animal fat, baby food and bottled water, China Daily reported.

The regulation also requires manufacturers to identify and name the flavors on food labels, so that consumers are not misled.

Food safety has long been a concern in China, as several scandals linked to food safety have been exposed in recent years.

In the 2008 "milk scandal," milk laced with melamine led to the death of at least six infants and over 300,000 others fell ill in Hebei province.

From the August 2, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition