Melamine Scare

Melamine has put the world in scare. And as time passes, more countries are investigating the issue , and more and more products aside from milk are found to be contaminated with this chemical.

In the early 2007, veterinary scientists determined it to be the cause of hundreds of pet deaths, because of pet food contamination. Prior to these reports, melamine had been regarded as non-toxic or minimally toxic. However, because of the unexplained presence of melamine in wheat gluten added to mass-produced dog and cat foods, it is the most likely cause. Pet owners report symptoms that are commonly associated with renal failure, which could be explained by the ammonia that may result from the digestion of the melamine. Animal Feed has been reported to have been tainted with Melamine and fed to Hogs & Chickens in the US.  Think it’s time to reflect to on the food and food products that even adults consume.

But why is melamine added to a product?  Especially food products?  Melamine is sometimes illegally added to food products in order to increase the apparent protein content. Standard tests such as the Kjeldahl and Dumas tests estimate protein levels by measuring the nitrogen content, so they can be misled by adding nitrogen-rich compounds such as melamine.  Hmm… Adding some business sense by killing the world.

Just what is melamine?   Melamine is an organic compound that is often combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin, a synthetic polymer which is fire resistant and heat tolerant. Melamine resin is a very versatile material with a highly stable structure. Uses for melamine include whiteboards, floor tiles, kitchenware, fire retardant fabrics, and commercial filters.  So we see that we have non-consumable products at home made of melamine resin.  Check your dinner plates for example.

Melamine resin is known as a thermoset plastic, because the plastic is fixed after molding. If exposed to enough heat, melamine will melt. For this reason, melamine dishware should not be exposed to high temperatures like those in the oven and microwave. However, the plastic is able to withstand higher temperatures than other plastics.

Melamine is also used in a wide range of flame resistant materials including textiles used in upholstery and the uniforms worn by firemen. Thermal liners, heat resistant gloves, and aprons to protect from splashback of hot substances are made using melamine. Melamine will protect a wearer from heat hazards, and will help to resist the spread of fire in aircraft and buses by providing a fire blocker.

Melanine, if used properly is not really a poison.  At this point of the scare, shouldn’t we think of buying our locally produced goods instead?  We don’t only help our local producers but we do our share in nation building by patronizing what is ours.  Plus of course, most importantly we help protect our lives and that of  our  children.

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