China has suspended imports of tainted meat products from seven United States companies, including Tyson Foods Inc, the world's largest meat processor.

Tests showed Tyson Foods' products, mainly frozen pig ears and chicken feet, contained salmonella, feed additives and veterinary drugs, the country's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said.

The other six companies on the list are Sanderson Farms Inc, Intervision Foods, AJC International Inc, Cargill Meat Solutions Corp, Van Luin Foods USA Inc and Thumph Foods.

Cargill, the world's largest farm produce company, and VanLuin were given 45 days to rectify the problem as of July 5, while Thumph's suspension began on July 13. Information on the other banned companies was not specified.

A spokesperson with Tyson Foods said the company hadn't received any official notice from the Chinese government. He added they would with both the US and Chinese governments to solve the problem.

Cargill said it believed its products and producing procedures were okay and that it was willing to discuss the problem with parties involved.

Li Changjiang, chief of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said in a previous Xinhua news agency report that China detects many substandard food products from the US every year.

In late June, the US Food and Drug Administration said it would not allow three types of farm-raised fish, as well as shrimp and eel from Chinese suppliers to enter its market until the companies proved the products didn't contain any harmful residue.
The USFDA yesterday said the local entry-exit inspection and quarantine department in North China's Shanxi Province had found excessive amounts of selenium in protein powder imported from US-based Jarrow Formulas Inc, according to Xinhua. The products have been returned to the US.

Excessive amounts of selenium could lead to gastrointestinal disorders, hair loss, neurological damage or cirrhosis of the liver.