Saturday October 11, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) – Chinese liquid dairy products are reportedly free of melamine now.   The China's top quality control agency said on Saturday Chinese liquid dairy products now met temporary restriction on melamine.

The samples that tested negative for melamine came from 532 batches of liquid milk, including yogurt and 69 brands in 23 major cities, Xinhua News Agency cited the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) as saying.

The new restriction on melamine is set at 1 mg of melamine per kilogram of infant formula and 2.5 mg per kg of liquid milk, milk powder and food products with at least 15 percent milk.

AQSIQ said the ninth investigation into the industrial scandal of adulteration in dairy products led by Sanlu group and many other companies revealed that the tainted baby formula killed at least three infants and sickened more than 50,000 others.

So far, a total of 4,213 batches of liquid dairy products from 131 brands manufactured after Sep 14 have been tested and the level of the industrial chemical in all products was below the limit.

Melamine is an ingredient used to make plastics.   Criminals mixed the chemical in diluted milk to maintain the normal reading of protein content in dairy products.