What is melamine and how is it used?
Melamine (2,4,6- triamino- 1,3,5-triazine) is an industrial chemical compound used mainly in the production of plastics, primarily for countertops, utensils, fabrics, adhesives and flame retardants. It is also a metabolite of the insecticide cyromazine.
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| Form Melamine |
Is it present in foods?
Melamine is not approved as a food ingredient in Europe, which applies to both domestic and foreign manufacturers whose products enter the European food supply chain. However, very low levels of melamine may be present in food resulting from use of pesticides, industrial processing and in-home preparation (involving plastic packaging, food contact surfaces and tableware). The concentration of melamine in food is typically less than 1 mg/kg and does not pose a food safety risk. In Europe, the migration limit of melamine from plastics to food content is fixed at 30 mg/kg food.
In 2008 in China, melamine was reported to have been added illegally to some powdered milk and related dairy products including infant formula to make them appear rich in protein and to overestimate their nutritional quality. Other food products such as biscuits and confectionary made with the adulterated powdered milk were also contaminated. In addition, melamine was detected in egg and soya products, ammonium bicarbonate (raising agent) and animal feed.
What are the consequences of ingesting melamine?
Melamine is non-toxic in low doses. In Europe, the tolerable daily intake (TDI) is fixed at 0.5 mg/kg body weight, which corresponds to a TDI of 30 mg melamine per day for an adult of 60 kg, and 2.5 mg melamine for an infant of 5 kg.
At high levels and in combination with cyanuric acid (a chemical present in melamine as an impurity), melamine can form insoluble crystals, leading to the formation of kidney stones. This can lead to severe health effects such as kidney failure in vulnerable individuals, such as babies and young children. In China, the highest concentration of melamine reported in infant formula reached about 2,500 mg/kg.
Are Chinese imported foods safe to consume?
The European Commission immediately banned the import of Chinese food containing milk-related and soya-related products for infants and small children. Since this decision was taken, further strict controls have been put in place to protect the European consumer. All Chinese food and feed containing milk, milk products, soya or soya products, as well as of baking powder have been tested for melamine before importation to Europe. Products already on the market have also been tested. Any product with a melamine concentration higher than 2.5 mg/kg cannot be imported or have to be withdrawn from the market.
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| Melamine in the Kitchen |
