Red Bull banned in China

China has banned the Red Bull energy drink due to prohibited ingredients, Gazeta.ru reports.

Media reported in Harbin (south-eastern part of China) that some ingredients have not been registered at the state administration for control of food and medicaments. Prohibited ingredients include sodium benzoate, a chemical used to treat mental illnesses.

Doctor Zhang Zing from the Harbin University of Medical Sciences said that the ingredient may cause headaches, stress, a feeling of alertness and drug addiction. Other prohibited ingredients are sodium citrate, citric acid, carmine pigment and tartrazine.

No decisions will be made on the drink until Saturday. The Red Bull manufacturer said on its website that the drink contains no harmful or prohibited ingredients. Supermarkets in Beijing and Shanghai removed the product.