Melamine Crisis

Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations on his web page said “the melamine-contaminated dairy products event first came to the attention of the international organizations on 11 September.” Wow, what a coincidence, 11 September or well known as 9/11 was an important date in world history. Seven years ago, after the WTC collapsed due to the terrorist attacks, the world was put in fear for the bio-terrorism attacks and the most popular name was Anthrax. May be the Melamine chemical was identified on the 9/11 was a coincidence but the impact and fears among the parents is more than the Anthrax have created. I have no option other than put a "NO" sign to China’s product for fear of my boy’s life.

The consumption of melamine-contaminated infant formula is alarming and the worst, the chemical might contaminated our local vegetables supplies and other products which are originated from China. Out of 54,000 children who got a medical treatment, almost 12,900 are currently hospitalised and China official report says majority of them are facing kidney failure. The same report said, so far 4 kids dead whom I doubt on figures disclosed. While I believe this is not the new strategy of terrorism for the neither mass destruction nor sabotage, I hope the authority will take the full responsibility on their failure. Due to the ill and weak management on food industry’s parents were force to pay the highest penalties, their kid’s life in chaos.

[Source:http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000926/index.html] Melamine is commonly used in food contact materials (e.g. containers, labels, etc.) and can also be used in agriculture production such as fertilizer. Whether this has a potential for carry over into food at low concentrations (usually in the range of microgram per kilogram) and could further impact human health may need further evaluation. Melamine alone is of low toxicity, however animal studies have suggested that kidney problems occur when melamine is present in combination with cyanuric acid, a potential impurity of melamine. The level of melamine found in the contaminated infant formula has been as high as 2 560 miligram per kilogram ready-to-eat product, while the level of cyanuric acid is unknown.