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BEIJING : Chinese authorities have found melamine in milk sold in stores, state television reported on Thursday, widening a scare over contaminated powdered milk in which four people have died.
A nationwide inspection found traces of the industrial chemical in products from three of the country's biggest dairies, CCTV reported, citing China's product quality agency.
The government launched the inspection after the discovery of melamine, normally used in plastics, in powdered milk.
Government inspectors found 24 of the 295 batches it tested from dairy companies Mengniu, Yili and Guangming were contaminated, CCTV reported.
No problems were found with any of the products from China's other two big dairy companies, Sanyuan and Nestle, it said.
"The agency in charge of quality control ordered the recall of the batches and their withdrawal from shops, and called on the companies to reform, to look seriously into the causes and punish those responsible," said the news presenter.
The five companies together make up 70 percent of the Chinese market, CCTV said.
More than 6,000 babies in China have fallen ill as a result of consuming melamine after it was illegally mixed with milk products and made its way into baby formula.
The chemical was apparently introduced by dairy suppliers to give watered-down milk the appearance of having high protein levels.
Three babies have died from kidney failure after drinking the milk powder and the government on Thursday reported a fourth death, without giving details.
China's product quality agency, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, has also ordered an "urgent" increase in testing for melamine in livestock feed and feed additives. - AFP/ms
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