Melamine found in milk from 3 dairy firms
A chemical that has contaminated batches of baby formula and killed at least three babies on the mainland has also been found in milk from three of the nation's major dairy companies, the state quality watchdog said.
Twenty-four batches of milk produced by Mengniu, Yili and Guangming were found to contain traces of melamine in the latest check, CCTV cited the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine as saying.
The mainland's quality watchdog ordered the manufacturers to immediately recall all tainted products, demanded stringent testing on raw materials and products and the imposition of tough punishments on those behind the use of melamine, a chemical for industrial use, the report said.
The announcement by state television last night came hours after Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety warned the public not to consume Yili dairy products because melamine had been found in eight of its products - including ice lollies and milk drinks with melamine levels between 2.2 and 21 parts per million.
As the milk contamination scandal escalated, the World Health Organisation yesterday called on China to find out why it took months for the scandal to become public.
The nationwide inspection of milk was sparked by the discovery this week that product samples from 22 companies that make milk powder were contaminated with melamine, which so far has killed at least three babies and left over 6,200 ill, with some developing acute kidney failure.
In the latest check, the mainland quality watchdog examined milk samples from major milk suppliers - such as Mengniu, Yili, Guangming, Sanyuan and Nestle - which together make up over 70 per cent of the market share.
The investigation found that 11 out of 121 batches of milk from Mengniu were found to contain melamine, with the level ranging from 0.8 to 7 micrograms per kilogram.
While seven out of 81 batches of Yili milk were found to contain melamine that ranged from 0.7 to 8.4 mcg/kg, six out of 93 batches of Guangming milk contained the chemical, ranging from 0.6 to 8.6 mcg/kg.
The chemical was not found in any of the 53 batches of milk from Sanyuan or seven from Nestle, nor in the other 847 batches of milk produced by 406 companies that were subjected to the testing, the report said. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the tolerable daily intake for melamine is 0.63 mcg/kg of body weight per day.
Zhao Yuanhua, vice-president and spokeswoman for China Mengniu Dairy, said the company would recall all its tainted products on the mainland, including milk formula and liquid milk.
The Hong Kong government said more dairy products would be tested and the findings announced as soon as possible. Local lawmakers and academics criticised the government for refusing to warn people against consuming mainland milk products until they were proved safe.
Additional reporting by Jasmine Wang
