In　this　paper,　a　highly　selective　sample　cleanup　procedure　combining　molecular　imprinting　and　solid-phase　extraction　(MI-SPE)　was　developed　for　the　isolation　of　melamine　in　dairy　products.　The　molecularly　imprinted　polymer(MIP)　was　prepared　using　melamine　as　the　template　molecule,　methacrylic　acid　as　the　functional　monomer　and　ethylene　glycol　dimethacrylate　as　the　cross-linking　monomer.　The　melamine　imprinted　polymer　was　used　as　selective　sorbent　for　the　solid-phase　extraction　of　melamine　from　dairy　products.　An　off-line　MI-SPE　method　followed　by　high-performance　liquid　chromatography　with　diode-array　detection　for　the　detection　of　melamine　was　also　established.　The　mean　recoveries　of　melamine　from　ultra-heat　treatment　(UHT)　milk　and　milk　powders　were　92.9-98.0%　and　91.6-102.8%,　respectively.　Good　linearity　was　obtained　from　0.5　mu　M　to　10　mu　M　(r＞0.999)　with　a　quantitation　limit　of　0.5　mu　mol/L　(0.06　ppm)　which　was　sufficient　to　analyse　melamine　at　the　maximum　level　permitted　by　U.S.　Food　and　Drug　Administration　(1　ppm)　in　dairy　products.　It　was　demonstrated　that　the　proposed　MI-SPE-HPLC　method　could　be　applied　to　direct　determination　of　melamine　in　dairy　products.　(C)　2009　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.