Another batch of Nestle's Gold Medal Three-plus Milk Powder sold in Yunnan Province was said to contain excess iodine, Chinese language newspapers reported Monday.

The milk powder with the batch number 20050120 had 199 micrograms of iodine for every 100 grams of powder, said Kunming industrial and commercial bureau officials. The result is even higher than the product discovered in Zhejiang Province, which contained 198 micrograms of iodine per 100 grams. Chinese standards require that there be 30 to 150 micrograms of iodine per 100 grams of milk powder.

Most of supermarkets and shops in Kunming withdrew the problem Nestle milk powder from shelves.

Nestle AG, the world's biggest food and drink company, apologized for violating government limits on iodine content in infant formula sold in China, although it denied products posed a health risk.

"Nestle apologizes for the deviation from the China National Standard regarding iodine content," the Swiss company said in a June 7 statement. "Nestle reconfirms all Nestle products are perfectly safe for consumers to use."

State media reports earlier chastised Nestle after a government report listed its Gold Medal Three-plus Milk Powder, made by a joint venture, Heilongjiang Shuangcheng Nestle Co., as containing excess iodine.

Some supermarkets cleared their shelves of the product, sold mostly in Shanghai, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.

Nestle said it had taken "prompt corrective actions" and was testing its products more frequently to help avoid future problems. The statement gave no other details.

However, a recent survey showed that 79.92 percent of respondents said they had no intention of buying Nestle milk products after the scandal.

(Shenzhen Daily June 14, 2005)