Sudan I, a potentially cancer-causing colorant, is the latest target for China's product quality watchdogs after the disclosure that the red dye has tainted hundreds of food items in Britain, Thursday's China Daily reported.

The State Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine Wednesday slapped a ban on imports of any foods containing the carcinogenic substance, and began screening foods from the European Union.

By Tuesday, the watchdog had released an updated list of 428 affected food products, ranging from BBQ sauce to pies, including those made by Heinz and Unilever.

China's quality supervision agency put a Chinese version of the known affected list, plus an urgent notice, in the public domain (www.aqsiq.gov.cn) Wednesday.

The agency also asked local inspectors to check domestic food makers to ensure their products or raw materials are free of the dye.

Food that contains the substance is not allowed to be sold or exported, a statement from the Chinese agency said. China has already forbidden the use of Sudan I in foods, according to agency sources.