Vitasoy (Shanghai) Co, a major soy milk producer, is recalling some of its products after quality authorities discovered that possibly inferior materials were used in production, company officials said yesterday.

　　Vitasoy was also fined 640,000 yuan (US$77,108), half of which was deemed "illegal income" from the sale of the questionable coconut-flavored soy milk.

　　The company insisted, however, that the milk is safe to drink, despite the dispute over the quality of the coconut juice it contains.

　　"We obeyed the rule out of respect for the advice given to us by government departments and also in the interests of consumers," the company said in a statement.

　　According to the company, the soy milk passed quality and health tests. But health authorities in suburban Songjiang District, where the company's factory is located, concluded that milk, which comes in 250-milliliter packages and was made between April 8 and July 8 last year, was mixed with 615 kilograms of "unfresh" coconut juice.

　　The dispute lies in the English words "best before" date on the juice packages, which were imported from overseas.

　　Inspectors found that the juice used by the company had exceeded its "best before" date, a date they believed refers to the point after which the material will turn bad and is not safe to use. Their discovery was the result of a tip by a former employee.

　　The company, however, said the "best before" date refers to the period in which the juice quality is at its best and does not mean it can no longer be used outside that date.

　　Under pressure from authorities, the company recalled some of the questionable products last December.

　　On Sunday, the company issued a statement in a local newspaper recalling the entire batch. The move came at the request of quality inspectors.