CHINESE milk and milk products made or processed after Dec 18 will be allowed back onto shop shelves, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has announced.

Having inspected diary farms, milk collection centres and food processing set-ups in China, the AVA was satisfied with the control measures put in place to ensure that Chinese milk and milk products are no longer contaminated with melamine.

The lifting of the freeze means importers and retailers can, once again, bring in fresh stocks of Chinese milk and milk-based products.

To assure further safety, the authority will continue to monitor the products imported into Singapore to ensure that they are safe for consumption.

The announcement comes after a three-month blanket ban on the sale of Chinese dairy products imposed in Singapore after melamine was found in them.

Melamine, a chemical more commonly found in plastic, has been at the centre of a worldwide food scandal which originated in China.

It was added to milk to artificially boost its protein content, and has since caused six infant deaths in China.

Thousands of others also fell ill with kidney-related illnesses.

Countries around the world, including Hong Kong, Canada, France and India pulled Chinese dairy products from their shop shelves as a result.

In October, Chinese-made raising agents used for leavening baked products, were also found to be tainted with melamine in 17 Malaysian-made products.

This resulted in Julie's and Khong Guan biscuits also being removed from Singapore's shops.

Since the end of last month, the bulk of food products taken off shelves during the melamine scare have been given the all-clear to be sold again.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.