ZHENGZHOU-- A leading Chinese producer for quick-frozen snacks Thursday apologized for the production and sale of bacteria-contaminated dumplings and said that a recall was underway.

A spokeswoman from Zhengzhou Sinian Food Co Ltd said they had confirmed the contamination of staphylococcus aureus, or golden staph, in its quick-frozen seafood and pork-stuffed dumplings.

The company had started the recall and destruction of the contaminated products, said Lin Xiaohong, a marketing executive of the company, adding that an investigation into the source of the contamination was underway.

The statement came after authorities in Beijing announced they had detected golden staph from one batch of dumpling products by the Henan-based company. The bacteria can cause various diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis, and is strictly banned in food procession.