Nestle sends experts for melamine tests in China

Beijing: The head of European food giant Nestle said on Friday the company has sent scientists and specialized machines in the wake of China's melamine scandal.

"From the first moment, the first minute we heard about the problem, we mobilized quite a sizable effort," CEO Paul Bulcke said at a news conference.

Nestle sent in 20 scientists from its research base in Switzerland to production sites to help set up specialized techniques for detecting melamine and similar compounds.

Dairy products contaminated with an industrial chemical have sickened tens of thousands of children in China and are blamed in the deaths of four infants.

Trace amounts of melamine have been found in Nestle products, including milk powder and candy in Taiwan, Hong Kong and other places.

"We had never had a product that was unsafe for consumption," Bulcke said.

Four brands of Chinese eggs have been found to be contaminated with melamine this past week, and agriculture officials speculated that the cause was contaminated chicken feed.