Travelers are being advised not to bring milk products or meat imports into China from Japan following a ban due to the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Guangzhou Daily reported Thursday.

China stopped importing milk powder, milk, beef and cattle-related products from Japan at the end of April since the start of outbreak in the country.

China's top quality watchdog, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ), and Ministry of Agriculture issued the ban on imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from Japan, to stop the disease spreading to animals here, but not due to food safety.

Though foot-and-mouth disease cannot cross to humans, buying or taking milk powders from Japan is forbidden, an unnamed official of Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau explained in the report.

He also said Japanese milk powders with Chinese signs on the market were imported before the outbreak and can still be purchased.

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was discovered in southern Japanese prefecture Miyazaki on April 20.

(chinadaily.com.cn June 4, 2010)