World Food Programme (WFP) has claimed the high-energy biscuits that caused toxicity havoc after consumption by the school students in Khagrachhari district recently, were completely safe.

"There are no pathogenic bacteria detected in the bis cuits," said the UN food organisation in a statement citing a laboratory test report, received on Thursday.

It said, "High energy biscuits manufactured for the organisation in Bangladesh are completely safe for consumption, according to preliminary laboratory tests carried out by the Institute of Food Science and Technology of BCSIR."

The organisation said the levels of vitamin 'A' and iron were found to be higher than the levels stipulated by WFP in its contract with biscuit factories in Bangladesh, but were still well below those that can potentially cause side effects.

WFP's experts at its Rome headquarters have therefore concluded that there is nothing to suggest that the fortified biscuits could have been harm -ful for the school children.

WFP Bangladesh Representative John Aylieff said, "The organisation would continue to work with the government of Bangladesh and other partners as part of efforts to establish the cause of the reported illness."

Some 428 students of eight primary schools in Laxmichhari upazila of the hill district fell sick after taking biscuits distributed under the WFP school feeding programme on June 1.