(AFP) - Swiss food giant Nestle on Sunday said it was "confident" that its products in China were safe, after media reports suggested that its products were laced with a chemical that killed four babies in China.
"Following press reports in Hong Kong earlier today claiming that traces of melamine had been found in a Nestle growing up milk, Nestle is confident that none of its products in China is made from milk adulterated with melamine," said the group in a statement.
Media reports had claimed that Neslac Gold 1+ might be affected, said Nestle, but it pointed out that the Hong Kong government's food safety department had declared that the product was safe.
The product was tested by the Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre Ltd during September 18 to 20, as well as the Food Industry Research and Development in Taiwan on September 16, said the group.
"Neither test detected melamine in the product," said the Swiss group, which added that it regularly carried out more than 70 different tests on infant formula and other milk products.
In China, four babies have died and more than 6,000 have been made sick by milk powder contaminated with melamine, according to government statements.
One of the most serious health scandals to tarnish Chinese-made goods, the melamine scare has spread from milk powder to regular milk, yoghurt and ice cream from some of China's biggest dairy manufacturers.