Executives of three leading Chinese dairy companies apologized on state television for their firms' involvement in the tainted milk problem affecting infants.

The executives from Mengniu, Yili and Bright Dairy offered their public apology for the first time since the scandal broke, during their appearance on a talk show on China Central Television, China Daily reported.

The scandal surfaced after melamine-contaminated milk products from dairy giant Sanlu Group caused kidney-related problems among tens of thousands of infants across the nation, the report said.

Subsequent tests of the three dairy brands determined that product was contaminated with melamine.

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine says the latest tests found that 855 batches from 77 brands of liquid milk produced after Sept 14 did not contain melamine, the report said.