Twelve food products from the United States have been put on a 90-day import alert after they were found to be unfit for human consumption, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said yesterday.

The products include chocolate, candy, cheese, almonds, juices, whey powder and health care products, it said on its website.

The chocolate was found to contain Quinoline Yellow, a food dye banned in China, while most of the other products were found to contain excessive amounts of food additives or preservatives, the statement said.