China's quality watchdog said on Friday it has requested US counterparts to provide more information on US-made infant formula of milk powder on sale in China that was detected as containing the industrial chemical melamine.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine took the move after the US-based news agency Associated Press (AP) broke on Wednesday that traces of melamine had been detected in samples of top-selling US infant formula, Abbott Laboratories, Nestle and Mead Johnson, which are on shelves in China as well.

A large number of parents in China are feeding their babies with infant formula branded by the three firms. More mothers have turned to foreign brands, including these three, as they lost trust in domestic firms, which are blamed for killing at least three babies and poisoning 50,000 others across the country.

The quality control agency of China said Friday it would pay close attention to the developments.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the levels of melamine detected so far were extremely low and insisted the products are safe. However, the US Consumers Union told AP on Wednesday the FDA assertion was "of small comfort to parents and caregivers," and "It is very disturbing...that no recall has been requested."

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2008)