KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia on Thursday banned the import of Chinese-made food raising agent ammonium carbonate after tests showed it exceeded acceptable levels of the industrial chemical melamine.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai told state news agency Bernama that raising agents imported from other countries would also be examined to ensure they did not violate local health safety laws.

The ban was issued after health ministry tests showed that biscuits made by two of the country's leading manufacturers contained high levels of melamine, Bernama said.

As a result, Khong Guan Biscuits based in southern Johor state and Khiang Guan Biscuits in northern Penang have begun a recall of 18 of their 47 products, it said.

'The analysis showed only the raising agent ammonium bicarbonate contained high levels of melamine... and the origin of the agent used by both factories is China,' Liow told Bernama.

He said the health ministry was trying to determine who imported, distributed and used the industrial chemical and that all biscuit factories in the country would be checked, with samples taken for further analysis.

Melamine has so far been found mainly in dairy and milk products in a widening food safety scandal in China which erupted after children began falling ill from drinking tainted milk.

Malaysia now bans all Chinese dairy products, and food containing milk including candies and chocolates.

Milk tainted with melamine has sickened some 53,000 children and killed four in China, exposing the nation's lax food safety standards and triggering import curbs on some Chinese products as far away as South America. -- AFP