Lisa McCormick of Consumer Affairs.com reports that the USDA will now test meat and poultry products, baby food, and chicken nuggets for melamine. Why? We thought melamine contamination was limited to pet foods and infant formula. Well think again. It seems to be all around us. (Seehttp://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/12/chinese_formula17.html)
The melamine story first broke way back in early 2007 when pet dogs got sick and some died after being fed pet food laced with melamine. Melamine is white, looks like milk powder and is very cheap. It is an industrial chemical used as a strengthener in concrete, but it has the unique property of mimicking protein in chemical tests for that substance. To boost the pet food product's "protein level" on the cheap, unscrupulous producers added melamine. Little did we know how widespread the practice was at that time. But soon, all manner of foods where milk or milk protein might have been used as a component were revealed to have traces of melamine. By April of 2007 it was reported in fish feed. A US company in Colorado was sanctioned for using it as a binder in fish food used at a commercial fish farm. It was soon discovered that this seemingly innocuous, indigestible solid substance could seriously affect renal functioning and initiate physiological reactions which cause it to precipitate as "stones" in animal and human kidneys. Furthermore no one had any inkling of how widespread the practice of adulterating food in China was or of the potential for impact to world health. But by September 2008 news broke that melamine had been found to be the cause of a widespread outbreak of kidney disease in Chinese infants. Melamine was found in the infant formula fed to these children. Thousands of infants were sickened and several died. The discovery caused widespread concern.
Since then, besides the pet food, fish food and infant formula, melamine has shown up in many other food products. In the US, and elsewhere, the growing list includes: Topaz Wafer Rolls, Cocoa from Canada (recently the Canadians have turned on us and barred certain milk products from the US), Vietnamese biscuits, Hong Kong Brown Eggs, Walgreens chocolate bars, many brands of US infant-formula, Chinese White Rabbit candy, Chinese-made Cadbury chocolate bars, Mr Brown coffee, Chinese-made yogurt, Dutch Lady (brand) banana and honeydew flavored milk, Silang (a brand name) potato crackers, certain kinds of puffed rice balls, as well as Indonesian-made Oreo cookies, Snickers bars and M&M candies. The scandal has even affected zoo animals. In China two young gorillas in a zoo were fed melamine-tainted milk. Both were sickened and suffered kidney related problems and are being closely monitored for kidney stones.
By late December 2008 some in the US were asking how the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration let this happen?(See "Tainted Government by James McWilliams. Slate Dec 29, 2008) McWilliams states that China is now investigating melamine and seventeen (17) other illegal food additives..including boric acid, lye, formaldehyde and an industrial red-dye called Sudan Red used to dye plastics. (See China Digital Times (http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2008/12/lye-boric-acid-banned-as-food-additives-in-china/) The Chinese authorities have banned these adulterants to food. No Chinese producer can from now on use of boric acid in food preparations. That's nice. I've only known it as an eyewash, and an insecticide. It is decidedly not a food additive to my mind. But then in China, it was commonly added to Chinese noodles to increase the elasticity of the noodles. Lye and formaldehyde were also banned. Swell! One is a caustic base that will burn a hole in your jeans in a few minutes and is used in the preparation of soaps and the other is a noxious, pungent preservative. But both were in use in China as additives to certain dried seafood to make these products appear fresher and bigger. So you can see the problem. No oversight and no regulation often leads to very dangerous and costly actions.
We should not be too critical...our own President Bush had a penchant for removing regulations and limiting oversight. These behaviors of his led to the credit crisis of 2008. As a result of his actions and the collapse of the world markets many of those Chinese factories which were adulterating foods may now be out of business.
Regarding lack of oversight, let's us turn a spotlight on our own government where confidence in our FDA has suffered in recent months. How? Thanks to a penetrating report by the Associated Press we have learned how the FDA organization (under the Bush banner) plays ball with big business. As McWilliams reports in his Slate piece, once the FDA finally discovered the level of melamine in the baby formula sold in the US.."its first order of business was to set up a conference call to warn the companies that produce 90% of the worlds milk powder--Abott Labs, Mead Johnson, and Nestle." But when it came to alerting the public, about the health threat, the FDA remained silent until the AP filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the test results and published them in late November. Such behavior from organizations that should be the "watchdogs" of industry and protectors of the citizen's safety does not engender our respect or confidence.
What can a concerned citizen do? Send letters to you congressman and senator about this problem. On a more practical and immediate level, avoid prepared food products that might have milk or milk-product as a component..and keep in mind that includes certain poultry and animal meats we do not often associate with milk...such as prepared sausages and of course...hot dogs. That's why the FDA has begun its belated testing of meats and poultry products. Let's hope they do a better job!
Showing posts with label food adulteration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food adulteration. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
MELAMINE MILK MESS
Melamine in Milk?
What is it? Why do they adulterate milk with melamine in China? Are we at risk too?
Recently you might have read the following and wondered about melamine. In September 2008, the Sanlu Milk company in China was forced to recall 10,000 tons of milk, milk powder and infant formula tainted with melamine. Fifty-three thousand infants were sickened and nearly 13,000 were hospitalized. Four infant-deaths were confirmed due to acute renal failure. Kidney stones as large as 1 cm (nearly ½ inch) in diameter were found during autopsies of the infant victims. Investigators concluded that melamine was added to infant formula by unscrupulous producers who after diluting the milk with water used melamine to raise the protein level of the altered milk. Melamine is a cheap coal-dervied organic substance, which can mimic protein in government tests.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine
Melamine is an organic six-sided-ring-compound (heterocyclic-aromatic, with the formula: C3H6 N6) with alternating nitrogen and carbons in the ring. Three amine groups (NH2) are attached to the ring at the carbon positions. It is a relatively heavy, white solid with a high melting point and is only slightly soluble in water. In solution, melamine acts as a chemical-base, reacting with acids to form salts. The formal chemical name of melamine (or one of them) is: cyanourotriamine. It should be noted here that melamine is not related to the familiar substances melanin (a skin pigment) and melatonin (a common hormone in mammals).
In industry, this substance is combined with formaldehyde to form a melamine resin, a strong (thermosetting) plastic, and melamine foam. Melamine is commonly used in industry and may end up as a component of countertops, dry-eraser boards, fabrics, glues, house-wares, packaging, flame retardants and as a strengthener in poured-concrete building-walls. As an admixture to concrete (as sulfonated melamine formaldehyde) melamine increases the fluidity and slows the hardening of concrete, while adding great mechanical strength to the mix. It is this latter use (in construction) which may have made this substance more widely and readily available in China.
In China the production of melamine from coal (via urea production) has grown rapidly over the last decade or so. Unfortunately, this activity continued even during economic declines so while demand has declined, production continued unabated, resulting in a melamine “glut” on the Chinese market. This glut is one reason for its use as an adulterant, since it is cheap and is often ready availability around poorly secured construction sites where it could be obtained illegally or on the market at very low cost. However, since it also mimics protein in simple tests, this quality has made it useful to the unscrupulous as a food adulterant.
By itself melamine is relatively non-toxic, white substance. It is however, often associated with cyanuric acid in waste-water streams where it is produced probably during the production of urea a fertilizer. Thus melamine and cyanuric acid often occur together as co-contaminants. The reaction of cyanuric acid with melamine (a base) can produce the insoluble crystalline salt: melamine cyanurate. It is this substance, melamine cyanurate crystals which form the “stones” in the victim’s kidneys, as a result of ingesting melamine and its co-contaminant.
Studies on animals indicate that ingestion of melamine can lead to kidney and bladder ailments . In 1953, tests on dogs fed a diet laced with (3% by wt?) melamine resulted in changes in urine production, as well as evidences of blood, protein and melamine crystals in the urine. Since melamine cyanurate crystals do not dissolve easily, they remain in the bladder or kidneys and may lead to long-term chronic conditions, including bladder and kidney cancer.
In 2007 veterinarians reported a rash of unexplained canine illnesses which were traced to melamine in pet-food imported from China. Melamine, in a white granular form, was found as a contaminant among similar-appearing wheat-gluten, a component in the pet food. This has proved to be the general source of food contamination by melamine...aldulterated wheat-gluten or rice-flour. Why add melamine to pet food? It is a cheap (or sometimes cost-free) additive which lowers production costs and increases the profit-margin of the producer. Furthermore, melamine as an adulterant acts to boost the apparent “protein” content of the product. Melamine (C3N6H6) superficially mimics proteins since the simple tests used measure only the amount of nitrogen present. Proteins are of course complex organic molecules composed in part of nitrogen compounds called amino acids. Thus the pet food laced with melamine was cheaper to produce than pet food with un-diluted wheat gluten--a more expensive component. Many dogs were sickened and an unknown number died as a result.
A less well known result of this scandal was that the melamine laced wheat gluten was used in both chicken and pig feeds. For pigs see: http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/006027.html and for chickens see: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070502072434.htm
In a similar, but less well-known case in 2007 melamine was purposely added to fish-pellets by USA producers located in Ohio and Colorado. The binder kept the food in pellet form long enough after dispersal in water for the fish to ingest them. These products were recalled after the pet food scandal broke out. What effects the fish-food laced with melamine had on the health of the fish fed these products are unknown. Since the pelletized food was used in commercial hatcheries for fish slated for human consumption as in salmon, catfish or tilapia production, the effects these had on humans ingesting such potentially-tainted fish are unknown. However for a statement from Alaska hatcheries See: http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/issues/docs/2007/melamine_briefing.pdf
Today, September 26, 2008, reports in the press indicate that tainted Chinese milk products may have now spread outside of mainland China. In Taiwan a mother and her children (two three-year-olds and a one year-old) were reported to be ill. The diagnosis: kidney stones. The victims had travelled to China recently. Futhermore On Friday (today) a major Japanese food producer Marudai Food Co. pulled buns, cream buns and meat buns from its shelves when melamine contaminants were discovered. Also in Japan, the Lotte China Foods Co. a Tokyo conglomerate discovered contaminated cookies and recalled these products. (See: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=2008-09-26_D93ECR4O1&show_article=1&cat=breaking)
Unfortunately, it is liekly that the "melamine mess" will continue to expand and again reach our shores (but this time not in just pet food). Check ingredients labels. Food from China (or now some other Asian nations) may be contaminated with melamine. As for Chinese take-out? As always in America...YOYO...i.e. "you are on your own"!
What is it? Why do they adulterate milk with melamine in China? Are we at risk too?
Recently you might have read the following and wondered about melamine. In September 2008, the Sanlu Milk company in China was forced to recall 10,000 tons of milk, milk powder and infant formula tainted with melamine. Fifty-three thousand infants were sickened and nearly 13,000 were hospitalized. Four infant-deaths were confirmed due to acute renal failure. Kidney stones as large as 1 cm (nearly ½ inch) in diameter were found during autopsies of the infant victims. Investigators concluded that melamine was added to infant formula by unscrupulous producers who after diluting the milk with water used melamine to raise the protein level of the altered milk. Melamine is a cheap coal-dervied organic substance, which can mimic protein in government tests.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine
Melamine is an organic six-sided-ring-compound (heterocyclic-aromatic, with the formula: C3H6 N6) with alternating nitrogen and carbons in the ring. Three amine groups (NH2) are attached to the ring at the carbon positions. It is a relatively heavy, white solid with a high melting point and is only slightly soluble in water. In solution, melamine acts as a chemical-base, reacting with acids to form salts. The formal chemical name of melamine (or one of them) is: cyanourotriamine. It should be noted here that melamine is not related to the familiar substances melanin (a skin pigment) and melatonin (a common hormone in mammals).
In industry, this substance is combined with formaldehyde to form a melamine resin, a strong (thermosetting) plastic, and melamine foam. Melamine is commonly used in industry and may end up as a component of countertops, dry-eraser boards, fabrics, glues, house-wares, packaging, flame retardants and as a strengthener in poured-concrete building-walls. As an admixture to concrete (as sulfonated melamine formaldehyde) melamine increases the fluidity and slows the hardening of concrete, while adding great mechanical strength to the mix. It is this latter use (in construction) which may have made this substance more widely and readily available in China.
In China the production of melamine from coal (via urea production) has grown rapidly over the last decade or so. Unfortunately, this activity continued even during economic declines so while demand has declined, production continued unabated, resulting in a melamine “glut” on the Chinese market. This glut is one reason for its use as an adulterant, since it is cheap and is often ready availability around poorly secured construction sites where it could be obtained illegally or on the market at very low cost. However, since it also mimics protein in simple tests, this quality has made it useful to the unscrupulous as a food adulterant.
By itself melamine is relatively non-toxic, white substance. It is however, often associated with cyanuric acid in waste-water streams where it is produced probably during the production of urea a fertilizer. Thus melamine and cyanuric acid often occur together as co-contaminants. The reaction of cyanuric acid with melamine (a base) can produce the insoluble crystalline salt: melamine cyanurate. It is this substance, melamine cyanurate crystals which form the “stones” in the victim’s kidneys, as a result of ingesting melamine and its co-contaminant.
Studies on animals indicate that ingestion of melamine can lead to kidney and bladder ailments . In 1953, tests on dogs fed a diet laced with (3% by wt?) melamine resulted in changes in urine production, as well as evidences of blood, protein and melamine crystals in the urine. Since melamine cyanurate crystals do not dissolve easily, they remain in the bladder or kidneys and may lead to long-term chronic conditions, including bladder and kidney cancer.
In 2007 veterinarians reported a rash of unexplained canine illnesses which were traced to melamine in pet-food imported from China. Melamine, in a white granular form, was found as a contaminant among similar-appearing wheat-gluten, a component in the pet food. This has proved to be the general source of food contamination by melamine...aldulterated wheat-gluten or rice-flour. Why add melamine to pet food? It is a cheap (or sometimes cost-free) additive which lowers production costs and increases the profit-margin of the producer. Furthermore, melamine as an adulterant acts to boost the apparent “protein” content of the product. Melamine (C3N6H6) superficially mimics proteins since the simple tests used measure only the amount of nitrogen present. Proteins are of course complex organic molecules composed in part of nitrogen compounds called amino acids. Thus the pet food laced with melamine was cheaper to produce than pet food with un-diluted wheat gluten--a more expensive component. Many dogs were sickened and an unknown number died as a result.
A less well known result of this scandal was that the melamine laced wheat gluten was used in both chicken and pig feeds. For pigs see: http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/006027.html and for chickens see: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070502072434.htm
In a similar, but less well-known case in 2007 melamine was purposely added to fish-pellets by USA producers located in Ohio and Colorado. The binder kept the food in pellet form long enough after dispersal in water for the fish to ingest them. These products were recalled after the pet food scandal broke out. What effects the fish-food laced with melamine had on the health of the fish fed these products are unknown. Since the pelletized food was used in commercial hatcheries for fish slated for human consumption as in salmon, catfish or tilapia production, the effects these had on humans ingesting such potentially-tainted fish are unknown. However for a statement from Alaska hatcheries See: http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/issues/docs/2007/melamine_briefing.pdf
Today, September 26, 2008, reports in the press indicate that tainted Chinese milk products may have now spread outside of mainland China. In Taiwan a mother and her children (two three-year-olds and a one year-old) were reported to be ill. The diagnosis: kidney stones. The victims had travelled to China recently. Futhermore On Friday (today) a major Japanese food producer Marudai Food Co. pulled buns, cream buns and meat buns from its shelves when melamine contaminants were discovered. Also in Japan, the Lotte China Foods Co. a Tokyo conglomerate discovered contaminated cookies and recalled these products. (See: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=2008-09-26_D93ECR4O1&show_article=1&cat=breaking)
Unfortunately, it is liekly that the "melamine mess" will continue to expand and again reach our shores (but this time not in just pet food). Check ingredients labels. Food from China (or now some other Asian nations) may be contaminated with melamine. As for Chinese take-out? As always in America...YOYO...i.e. "you are on your own"!
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