BEIJING - CHINA, which has weathered a series of scandals over food safety, has put 12 US food products on a 90-day import alert after they were found to contain a banned dye or excessive additives or preservatives.

The products undergoing tightened checks include chocolate, almonds, lemon juice, cheese, herbs and health care tablets, China's quality watchdog said on its website.

The import alert comes as the US maintains a ban on imports of food from China, unless they can show they are free of dairy or free of melamine.

The compound, used in making plastic, was added to Chinese baby formula, killing at least six Chinese infants and making hundreds of thousands sick.

Earlier in the week, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) impounded and destroyed Italian brandy, Spanish dairy products, Belgian chocolate and seasoning from Britain. -- REUTERS