Serbia withdraws suspected toxic milk

The Associated Press, Belgrade, Serbia | World | Wed, February 20 2013, 8:23 PM

Officials have ordered some brands of milk taken off store shelves despite earlier claims that milk was safe even though it is contaminated with a potentially cancer-causing toxin.

Wednesday's order came after widespread public outrage over allegations that health authorities have for weeks been hiding the results of lab tests which reportedly show that much of the milk sold in Serbia contains high levels of aflatoxins, a fungus linked to mildewed cattle feed that can cause cancer if consumed in high doses.

The government's order didn't say which brands were withdrawn.

Four brands of milk have been withdrawn in Croatia because of aflatoxin contamination. High levels of the toxin have also been found in some samples of milk sold in Slovenia, Bosnia and Macedonia.