Melamine contamination in infant formula – this crisis takes a new turn every week

Melamine contamination in infant formula – this crisis takes a new turn every week

True quote…

My 8-year-old nephew Ethan was looking at a book of dog breeds when he suddenly informed his mother that they would NOT be getting a shar-pei. “We don’t want a dog from China that might contain melamine.”

Ethan is smart to keep his guard up. Seems this industrial chemical is harder to avoid than we thought. But don’t worry. FDA officials have a solution.

Here’s a 2008 melamine time line: September: First reports surface of melamine-tainted infant formula sickening babies in China September: The FDA assures consumers that U.S.-made formula contains no melamine October: FDA tests of domestic formula reveal traces of melamine from three manufacturers who produce nearly all formula brands sold in the U.S. October: FDA officials say they can’t set a safe level of contamination for melamine in formula November: Hold on – FDA officials now say they CAN set a safe level of melamine contamination in formula: Anything below one part per million (ppm) is okay, as long as cyanuric acid is not present

Critics are accusing the FDA of arbitrarily setting a safe level to give the appearance of safety (not to mention the appearance that FDA officials know what the heck they’re doing). But here’s the kicker: Cyanuric acid is a byproduct of melamine.

Stay tuned. This crisis seems to have a new disturbing twist with each passing week.

Sources:
“FDA Sets Melamine Standard for Baby Formula” Joan Lowy, Justin Pritchard, Associated Press, 11/29/08, ap.org
“Melamine Contamination in China” Food and Drug Administration, 11/28/08, fda.gov