China has ordered that all liquid and powdered milk made before September 14 be taken off store shelves across the country to be tested for melamine.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, second from right, inspects bag of powdered milk from China following  raid of unlicensed warehouse, 03 Oct 2008

The official Xinhua news agency says a joint notice from six government agencies ordered Tuesday that all products produced before that date, regardless of brand or batch, must be taken off shelves for testing.

The presence of the chemical melamine in dairy products has been blamed for killing four children and sickening tens of thousands of others.

Melamine has been detected in Chinese-made products overseas, and more than 50 nations have ordered the recall or prohibition of milk products made in China. 

Burmese authorities announced today the removal of seven more products from store shelves there after testing revealed they contained melamine.

Authorities in the military-ruled country did not list the country of origin for all of the products, but one of the products was a non-dairy creamer that is made in China.

The chemical melamine can cause kidney stones and some cases lead to life-threatening kidney failure.

Melamine is used primarily in plastics, fertilizers and flame retardants.  Chinese authorities say it was added to milk products to make them appear richer in protein.

 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.