Truth and myth about Melamine
| Date :27-Sep-2019 |
By Rajendra Diwe :
Recent raids on a big tea house in Pune by Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has created panic among people. The media highlighted use of melamine in milk powder used by the tea house. The news appeared in print as well as electronic media have again raised question of purity of milk in India. “The media reported the substance as ‘Melanite’, but it is not melanite but it is melamine,” says highly placed FDA official. A senior and retired food safety officer from FDA states, “The issue of adding melamine in milk is not new.
The issue was raised in 2008 when, the milk and infant milk products imported from China were found the content of melamine in them. Since September 2008, six children died in China due to the presence of melamine in their food. The official data released by the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China on September 21, 2008, stated that a total of 52,857 children had received treatment for melamine-tainted milk.” “Due to the melamine scandal in China, different countries had also initiated conducting melamine tests of products that originate from China or that had been manufactured using Chinese ingredients. The official levels reported by national authorities ranged between 0.38 and 945.86 mg/kg for dairy products. For processed foodstuff and food processing ingredients the levels ranged between 0.6 to 6694 mg/kg. Animal feed manufactured in China has also been reported to contain melamine traces in amounts that ranged between 61 to 797 mg/kg,” he adds.
The media reported presence of melamine in milk of the tea house raided by FDA. The official clears, “Unless and until the tests of the seized samples are conducted by food testing laboratory, it is very difficult to comment on melamine content. There is a method to test the content and is used universally for assessing protein content in food and milk. The method is known as Kjeldahl method. Melamine is rich in nitrogen, and relatively cheap. Adding it to sub-standard or watered-down milk makes the milk’s protein level appear higher. Standard quality tests estimate protein levels by measuring nitrogen content Kjeldahl method detects not only nitrogen in protein but also nitrogen in all organic nitrogenous compounds, including melamine. Kjeldahl method is unable to detect the melamine in milk and food product.” After the China scandal, India had imposed ban on China products as preventive measure. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) imposed ban after the scandal.
The gazette notification says, “Prohibition on import of milk, milk products (including chocolates, chocolate products, and candies, confectionery food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is extended for a further period of four months, till April 23, 2019, or until further orders.” The ban again extended from April this year, FDA official states. Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical. The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and extended subsequently from time to time. The official mentions, “To check adulteration in milk and milk products, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has notified the maximum permissible levels of the contaminant melamine in dairy products.
According to the notification, FSSAI has imposed a permissible limit of 1 mg of melamine in every kg of powdered infant formula, 0.15 mg a kg in liquid infant formula and 2.5 mg a kg in other foods. On January 5, 2016 the Gazette notification was published on amending the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulation 2011. These amendments have come into force on the date of their publication. Through the amendment limits have been prescribed for melamine in products like powdered infant formula, liquid infant formula as well as other foods. According to the amendment to Food Safety and Standards regulation, it is required that all food products must undergo melamine testing to ensure compliance.”
What is Melamine According to the World Health Oraganisation, “Melamine is an organic base chemical most commonly found in the form of white crystals rich in nitrogen and is widely used in plastics, adhesives, counter tops, dishware, and whiteboards.” Melamine is 66% nitrogen by molecular weight. It is combined with formaldehyde by industry to produce melamine resin, a very durable thermo-setting plastic, and melamine foam, a polymeric cleanser. Use of melamine in India: FDA official says, “Melamine powder is costly in India. It is about Rs 110 to 200/kg. So no case of melamine adulteration in milk was reported in India. Water is the most common adulterant used, which decreases the nutritional value of milk.
Other main milk adulterants are detergents, urea neutralisers, sodium chloride and veg. oil.” What are health effects of melamine consumption by humans While there are no direct human studies on the effect of melamine data from animal studies can be used to predict adverse health effects. Melamine alone causes bladder stones in animal tests. When combined with cyanuric acid, which may also be present in melamine powder, melamine can form crystals that can give rise to kidney stones. Melamine has also been shown to have carcinogenic effects in animals in certain circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on carcinogenic risk to humans.
