Health ministry official Gao Qiang said, "This is a severe food safety accident," and added those responsible would be "severe" punished.
At the same time, the communist state has ordered an investigation a brand of baby formula manufactured by the Sanlu Group in connection with the controversy. Local reports said babies from northern, eastern and central China have been reported to have been ill due to contaminated milk formula.
All the babies from Gansu reported to have kidney stones have been fed milk manufactured by the Sanly Group, although a statement from the company said the contaminated milk may have been counterfeit.
New Zealand-based dairy product company Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, a part-owner of Sanlu, has already recalled about 700 tons of baby milk powder believed to be contaminated with melamine.
Laboratory tests on the milk showed it contained industrial chemical melamine. One infant has since died, although there was no direct link the child died from the milk.
In 2004, a similar fake baby milk formula scandal rocked China that has resulted to the deaths of 13 babies.
Gao Qiang said, "As of 12 September, there are 432 cases of kidney stones in the urinary systems of infants according to reports from health departments nationwide. None of the milk powder was exported to other countries or regions."
"Only a fraction of the milk powder was sold to Taiwan for food processing," he added.
