Australia has been hit by a scarcity of its biggest selling infant food, Karicare Aptamil Gold, which Chinese customers are buying in bulk to ship home, due to rising fears fears over the safety of infant foods.

Nutricia, the company which supplies the formula, has confirmed there has been a surge in demand, but says there is enough stock in Australia and they can arrange delivery to mothers in need.

Parents in Australia are being urged not to press the panic button over dwindling supplies of a popular baby formula as some supermarkets and chemists have reported running out of several popular baby food brands.

A number of frustrated new parents are being forced to visit multiple supermarkets and pharmacies to search fruitlessly for the products and are faced with the prospect of their baby not taking well to the changed brands.

The rush to stock up on the biggest selling formula in the US comes due to shortage stemming from bulk purchases by Chinese customers.

Chinese customers have been on a buying spree to send the product back home due to fears over the safety of infant products there.

A number of outlets are seen rationing the formula with customers being able to buy only three tins at a time.

According to leading paediatric dieticians, any of the brands sold in Australia were safe to use, as the formulas were all very similar.

The company supplying the product confirmed there had been a surge in demand, but supplies were adequate. It added delivery could be arranged for people in need.

Meanwhile, major supermarkets have also reported a supply shortage of the Bellamy Organic baby formula.

The demand had been pushed due to concerns about the quality of the baby formula in China.

Ava Dairy Company had to recall its baby formula last July after the product was found to contain high levels of aflatoxin, a toxin caused by mould.

In 2008, at least six babies died in China while another 300,000 were taken ill due to melamine, a toxic industrial compound in the milk (See: FDA warns ethnic Chinese communities against illegal Chinese baby formula).

According to general manager of Nutricia, Alistair Bradley, it had increased production of Karicare from 5,000 to 20,000 tonnes at its New Zealand factory last year to cater to increased demand and planned a further 50 per cent increase this year.