BEIJING (AFP) - China said Wednesday more than 6,000 babies had fallen ill and three died after drinking milk powder contaminated with a toxic chemical, as it vowed massive efforts to contain a widening food scandal. In the latest debacle to tarnish the "Made in China" label, authorities admitted two of 22 companies found to have melamine in their milk powder were exporting abroad, and that tainted yoghurt had been found in Hong Kong. Melamine, a chemical normally used to make plastics and glues, appeared to have been added to make the products seem richer in protein, and China's two biggest dairy companies were among those found to have contaminated products. In Beijing, Health Minister Chen Zhu said 6,244 infants across the country had fallen ill and three died after consuming the milk powder over a period of many months. The number of sick was up fivefold from official numbers given Tuesday. While many had now recovered, 1,327 remained in hospital, of whom 158 were suffering or recovering from acute kidney failure, Chen said as he gave the government's first detailed account of the scandal. China's Cabinet, in a meeting headed by Premier Wen Jiabao, criticised "flaws" in dairy market supervision, state TV said, in an admission of official failures. Speaking at the same briefing Chen, the head of the nation's product quality watchdog, Li Changjiang, said every dairy producer in China would be tested to ensure the safety of their products. Li of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, gave no indication if the exports were contaminated but said the companies involved were recalling their products. Bangladesh said Wednesday that food and commerce officials would meet this weekend to determine whether tainted products had entered the South Asian nation. Hong Kong supermarket chain Wellcome has recalled the product, and Li said authorities would investigate how melamine got into it. State-run Xinhua news agency reported late Wednesday that 22 people were being questioned in connection with the contaminated milk and that six had been arrested.