Friday, October 31, 2008

What Foods Don't Contain Melamine?

From the BBC this morning:
Chinese Melamine Scandal Widens
"The toxic chemical melamine is probably being routinely added to Chinese animal feed, state media has reported."

"Analysts say that Friday's news reports are an unusual departure for Chinese officials, marking what amounts to a tacit government admission that the problem could affect many parts of the food supply."
Melamine has been found now in 4 brands of eggs, as well as, you know, the milk. Eggs and milk are used to make baked goods. Baked goods, is anyone testing the baked goods?

I want to recover a little-reported fact from the melamine-in-pet-food scandal here in the US from April, 2007:
"Urine tests done on some of the 800 hogs now quarantined at a farm have tested positive for low levels of melamine." But... "According to the state veterinarian, none of the suspect feed was fed to the hogs. Federal tests on the feed have come up negative. The positive urine tests could not be immediately explained."
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Dear USDA/FDA/DHS*

I'd love a little more transparency on melamine testing in this country, assuming it's being conducted. Were those 800 hogs (which entered the human food supply) back in 2007 an anomaly?

* DHS: Department of Homeland Security. I think, given the global nature of today's food market, the DHS should get more involved in food safety.
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