Melamine

I am sure everyone has heard of the tainted milk scandal in China. In case you have been living under a rock I will update you quickly. Melamine is a synthetic material used in things like counter tops and dry erase boards. Why on earth would you want to add a synthetic flame retardant material to food? It can increase the apparent protein content in food. Sounds too good to be true?? That's because it is. Why??? Several reasons;

• Melamine reacts with cyanuric acid causing several renal and urinary problems in humans and animals. These include kidney stones and renal failure.
• This chemical is NOT water soluble....meaning it has to be mixed with another chemical (like formaldehyde!!!) in order to be dissolved in milk.
• Melamine introduced into milk helps to conceal fraudulent dilution of the milk with water by keeping the protein content up.
• The use of Melamine has been UNIVERSALLY banned when it comes to food production.

This contamination or tainting is being blamed for the deaths of several infants and making several thousand children sick. The source? Tainted baby formula made from contaminated milk powder.

Once this scandal became public numerous recalls of products occurred around the globe.

On one of the parenting message boards I frequent I came across a link to a YouTube video on "candy 9-11". The creator shows some chocolate products found at his local Target store which contain full cream milk powder and skim milk powder AND were made in China. I can certainly see his concern. I will link to the video so you will all know what I am talking about.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=R3dbBQPIFf0

Now do I think this Halloween will be "candy 9-11". No. Having said that I ALWAYS check my daughters candy (DUH!!!) and this year I will pay extra attention to the chocolates. Anything made in China or from an unknown source will go out the window....or at least into the compost. Why? While for myself I'd probably eat the chocolate and say oh well, this is my daughter and when it comes to her I am allowed and within my right to be over cautious.

Personally I do trust our CFIA, but they can only work so fast. While I hope this is a viral video there is always the possibility that there are chocolates out there that should have been recalled and haven't been. I recommend the following which link to the CFIA and provide up to date information publicly released in regards to Melamine and general food product recalls.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/2008melinfoe.shtml

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/recaltoce.shtml