Bangladesh orders new melamine tests

Bangladeshi authorities said on Monday they would retest milk powder brands found to contain melamine after three dairy giants challenged results that found traces of the toxic chemical in their products.

The Bangladesh government on Friday advised people to avoid buying eight milk powder brands after Dhaka University tests showed they were contaminated.

Local media reported that sales of almost all milk powder came to a halt following the news, prompting Nestle, Arla – which produces Dano products – and New Zealand Dairy Products to take out advertisements in local newspapers saying their products in Bangladesh were safe.

Commerce secretary Feroz Ahmed backtracked on Monday, telling reporters the tests were "inconclusive and confusing."

"We've formed an expert committee and ordered new tests… within the next seven working days. We'll take further action after receiving the results," he said.

He said the new round would cover all brands of powdered milk and infant formula sold in Bangladesh markets – not just the eight originally tested.

The initial tests, carried out by Dhaka University's chemistry department, were contradicted by results from two other local labs, which found melamine in only one of the brands tested.

Three of the brands were imported from China while the rest were from Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.

Melamine-contaminated powdered milk has caused the deaths of four children and sickened more than 53,000 children in China.

Increasing numbers of Chinese-made foods and drinks have been removed from stores around the world since the tainted-milk scandal was first exposed several weeks ago.

Normally used in making plastics and fertiliser, melamine is believed to have been added to milk to give it the appearance of higher protein content.

Last month Bangladesh banned the import of all products containing Chinese powdered milk.