Light Bulbs

It’s getting ridiculous at this point. First, in 2007, it was contaminated pet food. Later the same year, melamine was also detected in fish food used for aquaculture. Now, in 2008, contaminated dairy products have been discovered, with more than 50,000 sick babies as a result.

Currently, each day brings to light a new product affected by melamine, including powdered coffee and tea, desserts, White Rabbit candy, pretzels, and cookies. Chinese-made Nestlé products are the latest subject of recalls. The two major topics at the heart of the issue are the many steps involved in food processing, and the global reliance on Chinese-made products. While not the first time it has been newsworthy, maybe it’s time to pause and reflect a little.

At the centre of the present storm is melamine. But what exactly is melamine and how does it get into foods? Most homes contain some melamine products – typically plastic dishes, utensils, and laminate flooring, as well as clear resins used to coat wood and textiles. Whiteboards may contain melamine, and it is also used to surface ready-to-assemble furniture and kitchen cabinetry. These hard plastics are a combination of melamine and formaldehyde. In addition, some dyes, foams, cleaning products, pesticides, fertilizers, and flame-retardants contain melamine. Melamine itself is a white crystalline powder made up of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. Chemically, it is known as cyanuramide. It has been used for years since its discovery in the 1830s – with a huge surge in popularity during the 1950s.

Why is melamine being used in edible items? In the case of pet foods, melamine was present in wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China. Even though the products were made in North America, they were contaminated by an imported ingredient. With the present dairy scare, low-grade milk – watered down to boost its volume – has been supplemented with melamine. Because melamine contains nitrogen, it affects nutritional testing: a product containing melamine appears to have a higher protein content. Currently under scrutiny are many different products made in China with contaminated milk powder. Unfortunately, some people who add melamine to boost protein-testing results have little idea of the health effects. It is not approved for foods anywhere in the world.

The problem is that melamine is a man-made and inedible compound. Once ingested, it can cause bladder problems, kidney stone formation, and renal failure. This is particularly true for infants and people with compromised kidney function.

To avoid exposure to melamine, stay up-to-date with food recalls. Think hard before buying Chinese-made dairy products for the time being. And what about all those melamine plates in your kitchen? Well, you could try to limit using them if possible. Otherwise, be careful not to microwave them or put them in the dishwasher, in case of melamine leaching.

Photo credit: jowrites365@Flickr.com