The MarketPlace stores have pulled White Rabbit Candy off their shelves because of a possible health risk.

They learned yesterday that Queensway Foods Company, located in California, which directly imports a wide variety of food and retail products from many Asian countries, recalled the candy last Friday, because it may be contaminated with Melamine.

No illnesses associated with this product have been reported to date.

A Shanghai-based Guanshengyuan company, which exports the candy to 50 countries, had previously recalled all exports after the Singapore authorities found that the sweet contained melamine, the industrial chemical at the heart of a tainted milk scandal which has killed at least four babies and made 53,000 people in China sick.

An official Xinhua News Agency report stated that the Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau are still testing White Rabbit candy for melamine.

MarketPlace store manager, Thomas Kunz and assistant store manager, Joselito Ramos, immediately pulled the candy off their shelves yesterday once they were alerted to the situation.

A spokesman told The Royal Gazette: "We have pulled the product off the shelves and have notified Consumer Affairs. They will then notify the health department who will take the necessary actions.

"If anyone has purchased this product we ask that you please return it to our store for a refund."

The spokesman said that they were unaware of the recall as they received their products from a distributor in New York, Mon Chong Loong Trading Corporation, which was also unaware of the recall.

"We are now trying to back track to find out where the breakdown of communication came from.

"However, when you are dealing with a company such as this one in China, anything can happen," said Mr. Kunz.

The White Rabbit Creamy Candy is sold in eight or 16 oz packages.

All other flavours of White Rabbit Candy, including Assorted (Chocolate, Coconut, and Coffee), Red Bean, Coffee, Corn, Lychee, Mango and Strawberry are sold in seven oz. packages.

All packaging has a logo of a white rabbit on the front with the words 'White Rabbit'.