Jailed China Milk-Scandal Chief Appeals Sentence

Two men were sentenced to death and three former Sanlu executives received jail terms of five to 15 years.

The former chairwoman of the Sanlu Group, jailed for life over China's melamine-tainted milk scandal in which at least six children died, has appealed against her sentence, state media said on Sunday.

Tian Wenhua says her trial lacked evidence, Xinhua news agency quoted her lawyer as saying.

Tian was convicted last year at Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court of manufacturing and selling fake or substandard products. She was sentenced to life last month and fined 24.7 million yuan ($3.6 million).

Two men were sentenced to death and three former Sanlu executives received jail terms of five to 15 years.

The court ruled Tian authorised the sale of products that contained 10 mg of melamine in every 1 kg of milk, Xinhua said.

Nearly 300,000 children fell ill last year after drinking milk laced with melamine, a toxic industrial compound that can give a fake positive on protein tests.

The latest in a string of food safety failures that have blighted the "made in China" brand, the Sanlu milk scandal prompted an outpouring of public anger.