China probes kidney stone surge

By Quentin Sommerville
BBC News, Beijing

Officials tested formula to see if there was a link to an earlier milk scandal

There has been a dramatic rise in the number of young children suffering from kidney stones in China, health officials have announced.

But authorities say they have ruled out poisoning from melamine, the toxic chemical which was last year found in baby milk products.

At least six children died then and 300,000 were left sick from the earlier scandal.

The Health Ministry has launched an official investigation.

Following last year's poison milk scandal, officials tested the milk formula to see if it contained the toxic chemical melamine - it did not.

Officials have been left puzzled, and have launched a nation-wide investigation into the possible causes.

They say they will focus on families' feeding habits and their living conditions.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has apologised for the earlier scandal and gave assurances that it would not be repeated.

Chinese milk producers were discovered last year to be routinely adding melamine to milk - it gives the illusion of improving nutritional levels, but it is toxic.

Some 300,000 infants and young children were made ill and official estimates say six children died. Family campaign groups say at least double that number were killed.

Two individuals have been sentenced to death, and the boss of one milk company is facing life imprisonment.