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 Issues  

Melamine scam and its implications


The fate of many a product lies in
 the lab reports that are awaited
(inset) CAA Chief Rumy Marzook

The recent controversy regarding products containing melamine being freely available in the market has now gone from laboratories to the courts with companies fighting for their right to have products on the shelves and rejecting claims that their products are melamine contaminated.

The market vs health authorities battle took a new turn on Friday with the Colombo High Court issuing a stay order against the Colombo Magistrate Court's ruling on Edna Group until October 28. Court also ordered fresh samples of Edna products to be tested for traces of melamine.

This order was received when the Edna Group filed an application on Friday at the High Court of Colombo challenging an order issued against them by the Colombo Magistrate.

The magisterial order on the same day stated that Edna products should come off the shelves.

The prohibition order more specifically said the production distribution and sale of Edna products should be suspended forthwith. It also ordered that stocks should be collected and destroyed under the supervision of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA).

Ministry bans

As consumers the world over began worrying over the Chinese made food products for possibly containing melamine - an industrial chemical, the Health Ministry banned some 60 items based on an international list that identified various products that were contaminated with melamine.  

The contamination of Sri Lankan products came to light on October 13 when the Swiss Health Ministry announced the suspension of the sale of three Chinese-made food products containing traces of melamine. They were careful to stress the fact that there was no grave risk to public health despite traces of melamine being discovered.

As Switzerland acknowledged traces of melamine being received in two types of biscuits and a caramel sweet, in a separate statement, the Swiss authorities identified the three products as White Rabbit sweets from China, Milk Cookies S&P from Thailand, and Munchee Lemon Puff biscuits from Sri Lanka.

Sales of White Rabbit's milk-flavoured sweets was stopped in China when melamine was discovered, the chemical being allegedly added to Chinese milk to make its protein content appear higher.

The Swiss Health Ministry claimed that the levels of melamine in the products would only pose a danger to children aged up to three years "if they consumed more than one kilogramme of the biscuits every day for a long period," and that there was no danger for adults.

"However, this contamination with melamine is still not to be tolerated, and the products concerned will be immediately taken off the shelves," the statement added.

In other reports, it has now come to light that tainted milk has killed at least four children and sickened 53,000 in China with growing awareness of the country's vulnerability to food adulteration and lack of standards and corporate accountability.

Implicated

Other players too have been implicated in the growing global scandal with multinational companies such as Unilever having to recall milk powder after finding melamine in its Lipton tea products, Cadbury ordering back all mainland China-made chocolate products and Heinz recalling baby food that were already on the shelves the world over.

However, it was not the common commercial uses of melamine (there are many) or the recent scandal that caused melamine to become a central topic of discussion. The topic emerged with a scandalous series of pet food adulteration in the Untied States. 

Last year, when veterinary scientists determined melamine to be the cause of hundreds of pet deaths, the US authorities woke up to the reality that melamine was the potential cause 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 food, melamine was considered the most possible cause. Pet owners reported symptoms that are commonly associated with renal failure.

The pet death issue was followed by reports of milk food contamination in China that allegedly caused deaths of infants that made the world to put Chinese milk food products under the microscope.

With the new scandal coming to light, a Sri Lankan biscuit maker, Ceylon Biscuits Limited, the manufacturer of Munchee, too got identified as having sold products containing melamine. But subsequently, the Health Ministry had declared that Munchee Lemon Puff biscuits are safe to eat.

A scientific report prepared by the Health Ministry on the product was released indicating that Munchee Lemon Puff has been removed from the list of food products that are banned as the country was seized by a melamine scare.

The statement added that  Singapore's Health Science Authority lab had tested Munchee Lemon Puff biscuits and found it free of melamine.

Ceylon Biscuits had earlier temporarily withdrawn the product to reassure customers, though the company does not use any Chinese milk ingredients.

Investigations continue

In the meantime, Sri Lanka on October 18 banned the sale of 60 local and imported food products on fears they may be tainted with melamine, as a precautionary measure.

The products include milk powder and those using milk as an ingredient such as chocolate and biscuits.

Authorities are currently investigating the possibility of contaminated Chinese milk powder being used in other products in Sri Lanka such as biscuits and chocolates.

A week ago, chocolate manufacturing company Edna was ordered by courts to halt chocolate sales, pending an inquiry by the Consumer Airfares Authority (CAA) into the use of Chinese milk.

Many countries have pulled melamine-contaminated sweets and drinks from supermarket shelves amid the widening scandal over Chinese milk products tainted with the toxic chemical.

Melamine, which is usually used for making plastics, has been detected in snacks made in China by food multinationals.

Since first appearing in baby milk formula, melamine has been found in a range of other products containing Chinese milk and has now become a massive scandal threatening terrific health implications.

With Edna successfully obtaining an enjoining order on the prohibition order by the Colombo Magistrate, the products consumer worthiness will become known only on October 28. In the meantime, more samples are to be tested for melamine.

Melamine

Melamine is an organic compound often combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin, a fire resistant and heat tolerant synthetic polymer. 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.

Melamine can be easily moulded while warm, but will set into a fixed form. This property makes it ideally suited to certain industrial applications.

Melamine resin is manufactured by mixing urea with formaldehyde under heat and pressure. The substances begin to polymerise and can be easily moulded into a desired shape.

Under pressure, melamine releases water, which could make the plastic unstable if it is not removed. The materials finish polymerising and create a finished product, melamine resin.

Melamine resin is known as a thermoset plastic. 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.

Melamine resin is used in formica and similar construction products made from composite materials. Formica is made using melamine resin, which is used to coat the fibers in the upper layer of the construction product. The melamine resin makes the end result heat resistant.

Melamine also plays a role in a wide range of flame resistant materials. These include textiles used in upholstery and the firefighters' uniforms. Thermal liners, heat resistant gloves, and aprons to protect from splashback of hot substances too are so made. 

Melamine filters are capable of handling a high capacity and can be used in hot environments due to its heat resistance and are extremely efficient.

(Source: Sciencenet)

Health implications

Sri Lanka is now in the process of establishing its own limitations on the melamine content in products.

A top official from the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said that while there are worldwide standards, Sri Lanka is keen to introduce her own standards to minimise health risks.

The official said that the CAA has carried out investigations into melamine contamination with regard to local products and reported the matter to the country's courts.

"It is now the Health Ministry's responsibility to interpret these findings," the official said, adding that the entire legal responsibility with regard to this issue lay with the Health Ministry derived from the Food Act.

"The Health Ministry is responsible to withdraw and advise the public with regard to  melamine tainted products," he explained.

The Ministry is also responsible for testing products for any melamine contamination.

It was also added by officials who did not want to be named that a local biscuit producing company has been cleared and that their products do not contain melamine.

Health Ministry officials added that a special committee has been appointed with consultants and with the information received from various international agencies to set local standards.

"As an institutionwhich has beencompetingwith multinationalcompaniesand hasreachedthe highestlevelsof market goals, we wish to reiteratethat since September 2008, we havenotusedany milk powder suppliedfrom China in our products. Wealso wish toinform ourvaluedcustomers that Edna productsdo notbelongto the listof 60 food productsidentifiedas being melamine positive by the Health Ministry. We are also confident that ourproducts do notcontain anysubstance that may be injuriousto the health of the public," the EdnaGroup said in a recent statement.

In the meantime, Edna products were withdrawn from the market though an enjoining order was issued on Friday allowing the products to remain on shelves until October 28.

Ceylon Biscuits Ltd (CBL), the manufacturer of Munchee biscuits too has defended its product, Munchee Lemon Puff, claiming that no Chinese milk has been used and were safe for human consumption.

"CBL group states categorically that they never used and are not using Chinese milk and milk products in the manufacture of any of their group products," the company said in statement.

CBL added that it followed stringent quality control measures in accordance with international and local standards, and materials were tested before use and its products met international and local food regulations.

CBL further claimed their products to be completely safe.

Sri Lanka has so far banned 60 products with the likelihood of more being banned in the event of testing positive for melamine.

Checking product origin

With more and moremilk products from China and Taiwan reaching international markets, consumers should know how to ascertain the country of origin.

There are ways to find this out and that is to check the bar code on products.

The first three digits will hold the key.  If they are 690, 691 or 692, they are Chinese products. If the product is of Taiwan make, the first three digits will be 471.

FAQs on melamine

Q: Why is melamine contained in milk powder?

A: In milk powder, the most important ingredient is the protein nutrient.

Melamine can enhance the protein content, hence the inclusion. It is also an effective way to cut production costs.

Q: Does it add to the milky taste?

A: No. But it could look similar to milk powder:

Q: When did the melamine scare come out first?

A: In 2007, US discovered some of their dogs dying of renal failure and similar health problems. When their food was tested, the pet foods proved to have contained melamine. In 2008, many instances of Chinese babies suffering from kidney diseases also led to the discovery about milk powder being contaminated.

Q: What is the commonest human disease associated with consumption of melamine?

A: Kidney stones and renal failure.

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