NINETEEN suspects who allegedly sold expired dairy products for baking uses have been caught, officials said yesterday.

More than 100 tons of expired dairy products have been seized. Eight of the suspects have been charged, three are detained, and eight are free on bail, Shanghai Food and Drug Safety Commission Office, the city’s food and drug administration, and the police jointly said.

In March, the authorities found a food company in Minhang District packaging the expired products of Fonterra, a New Zealand dairy company, into small packages and selling them at below market price. On further investigation, one of the suspects surnamed Liu allegedly sold 276 tons of the expired dairy products to another company to cut his loss. The company allegedly then sold 166.8 tons to other distributors in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Henan and Qinghai provinces, who sold them wholesale or via e-commerce platforms.

The authorities said the involved online stores have been shut.