Melamine

Remember last year when a bunch of dog food was recalled for contamination? Well, this year it is Chinese made baby formula, as well as some candy, like Chinese Cadbury chocolate bars, and milk products with origins in China that are causing concern. Melamine is the culprit of this year's, and last year's food scares. However, the FDA has declared that small amounts, 2.5 ppm, of it are not harmful to adults, even if they are consumed everyday. 

Melamine, which has a high nitrogen content and fire retardant properties is used in manufacturing items such as dry erase boards, countertops, and concrete. It can also be metabolized my mammals when they consume a pesticide called cryomazine, according to wikipedia.org. 

Protein is high in nitrogen, so it has come out that Chinese manufacturers were adding the compound to baby formula as a way to falsely inflate protein content. It can cause kidney stones and in severe cases kidney failure, but somehow manufacturers didn't see the harm in adding it to baby food of all things! Four children died as a result of the contamination, and over 54000 babies were sickened as a result according to CNN.

Twenty-two companies were involved in the scandal, and one of the dairies, Mengniu Dairy has been suspended from the Hong Kong stock exchange. As of September 17th, four people had been arrested and twenty-two had been questioned according to BBC News.

The FDA says there's no need to worry, just as long as you don't purchase any Chinese made dairy products or candy. 

picture courtesy of BBC