FDA issues melamine risk assessment
October 4, 2008
The FDA says melamine in food at or below a level of 2.5 ppm (mg/kg) is unlikely to be harmful–except in infant formula. This seems reasonable; on a per kg body weight basis, this would be a very low dose. But what about when it is mixed with its by-product, cyanuric acid? Nobody has yet defined the lowest dose of melamine which, when mixed with cyanuric acid, does not form kidney-blocking crystals. Melamine should not be in the food supply at all, and especially not in infant formula, under any circumstances
I am having a hard time appreciating these agencies setting various limits for the “unlikely to be harmful” consumption of melamine. I wish they would just come out and say what we have said on this blog several time…that melamine has no place in food, period. When they publish these levels saying some melamine is unlikely to harm, it gives the impression that it might be ok to include a llittle melamine. To me, that is like saying it might be ok to include a little bit of cockroach or salmonella or rat skin. No thanks.
Comment by Sheila — October 4, 2008 @ 10:47 am
Melamine has no place in our food supply…whether or not it’s mixed with cyanuric acid!
For the FDA to come out and say that a certain amount is permissible in our food, is completely unacceptable.
If they keep it up, then we will be eating a little bit of “this,” and a little bit of “that” in our food…to an end result that the majority of what we are eating is poison!
I lost a pet last year from eating this substance in her pet food…and I don’t want to think that any of this stuff is being allowed in our food supply in any amount.
It caught them by surprise last year, but now there’s just no excuse.
Comment by Marcy — October 4, 2008 @ 4:22 pm