AN international food standards body has swiftly moved to control the baby food powders that allegedly killed babies and children globally by imposing a fixed amount of chemical allowed during production.

Codex Alimentarius Commission wants infants' food producers to adhere to a maximum of 1mg on melamine and 2,5mg on animal feed, which is currently at 2,5mg a kilogram.

Melamine is a chemical used in a variety of industrial processes, including the manufacture of plastics used for dishware and kitchenware.

Codex chairperson Martijin Weijtens said they would inform governments to differentiate between low and high levels of melamine.