The FDA issued a warning saying that parents and caregivers should avoid feeding babies with infant formula made in China, on account of potential contamination with melamine, the chemical substance found in pet food from China and associated with the illnesses and even deaths of hundreds of cats and dogs in the U.S. last year, Reuters reported.

“We want to get a message out to the Chinese community” said Janice Oliver, deputy director for operations for the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

In China, it has been reported the death of one baby linked to contaminated formula. Others have fallen ill, developing kidney problems because of the same reason, in line with press reports.

The caution was addressed to the Chinese American communities across U.S., Southern California counting among them, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Irrespective of melamine, infant formulas prepared in China shouldn't be put on the market, the agency said. All their manufacturers (such as Nestle USA, PBM Nutritionals and SHS/Nutricia of Liverpool, England) are asked to register with the FDA and, also, to meet a series of requirements. Not even one Chinese corporation has complied with those requirements.

The Food and Drug Administration said that melamine synthetically made milk appeared to have a larger amount of protein.

"There is no threat of contamination in the domestic supply of infant formula," said Oliver in an interview.