Milk of Magnesia disappears from British shelves as ingredients fall foul of EU meddlers Milk of Magnesia production stopped as it contained too much sulphate After being banned beloved medicine is now trading hands for £20 online By Daily Mail Reporter Mother's favourite: Milk of Magnesia was developed by a Scottish chemist to provide relief for indigestion A beloved British medicine has disappeared from shelves after falling foul of EU rules. Milk of Magnesia - used for generations to combat indigestion, ulcers and upset tummies - has been outlawed by the European Union because it contains a tiny bit too much sulphate. Manufacture stopped in autumn last year, but the backlog of supplies was allowed to be sold. Now stockpiles have dwindled and the product is selling for ten times its normal price on auction website eBay. Bottles of the beloved over-the-counter medicine - a solution of magnesium hydroxide - are selling for £20 online. Manufacturers GSK are thought to be changing the recipe, so it contains less than 0.5 per cent sulphate - the EU limit. Great-grandmother Margaret Taylor, from Ramsbottom, Lancashire, said Europe should stop meddling with the British way of life. Mrs Taylor, 84, said: "When I was raising my children, someone told me if you had a problem with windy babies, milk of magnesia was the best thing to use. It worked a treat - I used it for all three of my children and I would recommend it to anyone who was struggling with feeding their baby. People my age group would swear by it. I think the EU need to back off. Like millions of others, I used it on my children and they're all walking around fine. Mum knows best, not those suited bigwigs in Europe. Scarce: A classic Milk of Magnesia advertisement A GSK spokesman said: "Recent testing showed that one of the ingredients in the product was not compliant with the European Pharmacopaeia sulphate limit test of 0.5 per cent. While there is no safety issue for consumers, GSK has put stock on hold until this situation is resolved. We are working to make it available as quickly as possible. High street alternatives for Milk of Magnesia, which was patented in 1875, include Gaviscon and Pepto Bismol.