A wholesaler and a retailer of inferior milk powder which caused dangerous malnutrition of infants were tried in a district court in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province Wednesday.

The dealers were charged of selling over 20 packs of "Zheng Meng" brand milk powder, which is not in line with the national health standard and hazardously low in nutrition, to a resident surnamed Qi in Zhuzhou City of Hunan in 2004, the Beijing News reported Thursday.

Qi's infant girl suffered from malnutrition, hypogenesis and mental retardness due to the inferior milk powder.

The court said the wholesaler had sold shoddy milk powder to the retailer despite the local quality administration's ban, and caused circulation of such goods in the market.

Apart from the accusations from the public prosecutor, the victim's family also lodged a compensation claim of 190,000 yuan (24,500 US dollars).

The court is yet to make a verdict.

Source: Xinhua