Melamine

News

Powdered baby milk

HK finds melamine in Chinese-made
cheesecake
Cookies With Melamine Found in Netherlands
Mr Brown coffee products
Manufacturing giant Unilever recalls melamine
tainted tea
CNN is also reporting that the Hong Kong
authorities Sunday (October 5) announced that t

News
White Rabbit brand Chinese candy contaminated:
Asian health officials. Lipton, Glico and Ritz
the latest businesses to be affected by milk powd
er scandal
Hong Kong finds traces of melamine in Cadbury
products

Recalled Melamine Milk Products include Asian

versions of Bairong grape cream crackers, Dove c
hocolate, Dreyers cake mix, Dutch Lady candy, Fi
rst Choice crackers, Kraft Oreo wafer sticks, M&

News
305 Chinese dairy-based products temporarily
banned in Korea

US bloggers have gone so far as to uncover

dozens of products recalled in China that were s
till on the shelves of their local supermarkets
31 new milk powder brands found tainted.

What is melamine?

Melamineisanorganic basechemical most commonlyfoundintheform

of whitecrystalsrichinnitrogen.

What is melamine generally

used for?

Melamineiswidelyusedinplastics, adhesives, countertops, dishware,

whiteboards.

Why was melamine added

into milk and powdered
infant formula
InChina, whereadulterationhasoccurred, water hasbeenaddedtoraw
milktoincreaseitsvolume. Asaresult of thisdilutionthemilkhasalower
proteinconcentration. Companiesusingthemilkfor further production
(e.g. of powderedinfant formula) normallychecktheproteinlevel through
atest measuringnitrogencontent. Theadditionof melamineincreases
thenitrogencontent of themilkandthereforeitsapparent protein
content.
Additionof melamineintofoodisnot approvedbytheFAO/WHOCodex
Alimentarius(foodstandardcommission), or byanynational authorities.

Has melamine been found in

other food products?
In2007, melaminewasfoundinwheat glutenandriceproteinconcentrate
exportedfromChinaandusedinthemanufactureof pet foodintheUnited
States. Thiscausedthedeathof alargenumber of dogsandcatsdueto
kidneyfailure.
Inthepresent event, melaminecontaminationhasbeenfoundinanumber
of different brandsof powderedinfant formula, inonebrandof afrozen
yogurt dessert andinonebrandof cannedcoffeedrink. All theseproducts
weremost probablymanufacturedusingingredientsmadefrommelaminecontaminatedmilk.

What are the health effects

of melamine consumptions in
humans?
Whiletherearenodirect humanstudiesontheeffect of melaminedata
fromanimal studiescanbeusedtopredict adversehealtheffects.
Melaminealonecausesbladder stonesinanimal tests. Whencombined
withcyanuric acid, whichmayalsobepresent inmelaminepowder,
melaminecanformcrystalsthat cangiverisetokidneystones.
Thesesmall crystalscanalsoblockthesmall tubesinthekidney
potentiallystoppingtheproductionof urine, causingkidneyfailureand, in
somecases, death. Melaminehasalsobeenshowntohavecarcinogenic
effectsinanimalsincertaincircumstances, but thereisinsufficient
evidencetomakeajudgment oncarcinogenic riskinhumans.

What are the symptoms and

signs of melamine poisoning?
Irritability, bloodinurine, littleor nourine, signsof kidneyinfection, high
bloodpressure.

What is the treatment for

kidney stones and kidney
failure?
Patientsmayreceivevarioustypesof treatment, dependingonthe
severityof thekidneyeffects. Treatment mayincludeinfusionof fluidsand
urinealkalinisation, correctionof electrolyteandacid-basedisturbance,
haemodialysisor peritoneal dialysis, or surgical removal of kidneystones.