China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

[Sally Furniss]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Link possible between pet food contamination and baby formula contamination


Reston, VA (October 28, 2008) -- A study(1) published in the November issue of a scientific journal, Toxicological Sciences, which is published by Oxford Journals on behalf of the Society of Toxicology, describes the kidney toxicity of melamine and cyanuric acid based on research that was done to characterize the toxicity of the compounds that contaminated pet food in North America in 2007. This research points to a possible link between the pet food contamination that occurred in North America in 2007 and the recent adulteration of milk protein and resultant intoxication of thousands of babies from Asia.
The research described in the paper identifies the principal contaminants as melamine and cyanuric acid. Neither of these compounds is very toxic when administered alone; however, when given in combination, the two compounds form a virtually insoluble complex. This complex forms in the tubules of the kidney, blocking urine flow and causing renal failure. The research in the paper was done in rats, but because the toxicity depends only on the two compounds being present in the kidney at the same time, is relevant to other species, including humans.
The research presented in the paper also shows that the melamine-cyanuric acid complex is soluble in acid, suggesting that acidification of the urine in the distal tubules of the kidney may be a reasonable treatment option.



http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology...nation-and-baby-formula-contamination-5391-1/


Melamine in Contaminated Pet Food from China 2007 - USA, CANADA, MEXICO: SWINE http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22784

 

[tropical]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

It seems as a tip of one of the many worldwide floating food icebergs ...

#121:
"This research points to a possible link between the pet food contamination that occurred in North America in 2007 and the recent adulteration of milk protein and resultant intoxication of thousands of babies from Asia.
The research described in the paper identifies the principal contaminants as melamine and cyanuric acid. Neither of these compounds is very toxic when administered alone ... when given in combination, the two compounds form a virtually insoluble complex."

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/17/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 17) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.


Results available today showed that of the 105 samples tested, 104 were satisfactory.

These included milk and milk beverages, frozen confections, biscuits, candies and cakes.

The sample found unsatisfactory is "Strawberry Flavor Cream Malt Biscuits" (net weight: 85.5g, expiry date: 28.8.2009).

The level of melamine detected was 3.2ppm.

Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned product is 2.5ppm.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the product with the unsatisfactory result. We have also sent warning letters to the retailer and the importer concerned. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of "Strawberry Flavor Cream Malt Biscuits" which was detected with a melamine level of 3.2ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 1kg (about 12 packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 11.8 kg (about 138 packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the level detected, people are advised to stop consuming the product concerned," the spokesman said.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing," a spokesman for the CFS said.

"Test results for some milk and milk beverages, cream, instant drink mixes, biscuits and cakes will be available tomorrow."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which, starting from tomorrow, operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
-

View Original Article

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Two cases of renal stone found in children reported (10/17/2008) [CHP]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 17) received notification from the Hospital Authority of two cases of renal problems involving children who had consumed melamine tainted milk products.


These are the ninth and 10th cases reported to the CHP so far.

A CHP spokesman said the ninth case involves an eight-year-old girl living in Tuen Mun. It was reported that she had a history of consuming milk products adulterated with melamine regularly bought from the Mainland in the past three years. A renal stone of about 4.5mm was found in her right kidney. She has no symptom of renal problems and is now in stable condition.

The 10th case involves a 22-month-old boy living in Tseung Kwan O. He consumed melamine tainted milk products. He had one episode of passing pinkish urine in August. On October 9, his mother found blood stained matter of about the size of a rice grain in his diaper, likely to be a renal stone. However, a subsequent ultrasound examination did not reveal any stones. He is in stable condition and is asymptomatic at the moment.

Meanwhile, in the 24 hours up to 1pm today, the CHP hotline 2125 1133 had received 36 enquiries from members of the public, and this brings to 9,801 the number of calls received by the hotline since it was set up on September 21.

"A total of 3,370 callers claimed that they or their children had consumed milk products which were confirmed to have been adulterated with melamine, and 977 of the affected people, 518 males and 459 females aged from one to 71, claimed to have symptoms of renal problems including dysuria and changes in the frequency of urination.

"They have been advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible to ascertain if they are suffering from renal disease," the spokesman said.

The remaining 6,431 callers had no history of exposure to melamine adulterated milk products and just asked for general health advice.

The CHP hotline, which operates from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, caters for individuals who have consumed milk products contaminated with melamine or those who are experiencing renal symptoms.
-

View Original Article

 

[Treyfish]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Italy discovers tainted milk
17.10.08 13:32
Italy has discovered two containers of milk and one of yogurt containing melamine, the industrial chemical that contaminated milk powder in China and hospitalised thousands of babies, the health ministry has said.
The authorities in Naples have also separately seized tonnes of illegal Chinese products, reported Al-jazeera.
Officials said the concentration of the toxic substance posed a non-lethal health threat and is limited to illegally imported Chinese products being sold by retailers that mostly cater to Chinese immigrants.
The health ministry issued a statement that said inspections at hundreds of import companies and shops that sell Chinese products had resulted in the three positive tests, out of 48 samples analysed.
The ministry called the contamination "extremely contained", but checks were continuing across the country following the positive tests on the samples taken in the southern cities of Bari and Naples.
Milk and other dairy products laced with melamine have been blamed for the deaths of four infants and for more than 54,000 falling sick in mainland China.
On Thursday, authorities seized Chinese-made products at shops in Naples, including a tonne of milk believed to be contaminated with melamine.
The milk, which had a long shelf life, was sold in tins and was of a brand known to have been contaminated, said a statement from the authorities.
Even if the milk turns out to be uncontaminated, it would still be illegal because imports of dairy products from China are banned, Vincenzo Stabile, an official, said.
Other items seized included chicken legs, an import that was banned amid concerns over bird flu, as well as products made from endangered animals and plants, Stabile said.:tiphat:
http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1322581&lang=EN

 

[Treyfish]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

S. Korea may have imported tainted Chinese powdered eggs: health agency

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health agency said Friday that a Chinese powdered egg product that was found to contain toxic chemicals in Japan was imported by Korea in March.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) said that all of the 5 tons of the Chinese egg product from Dalian Hanovo Foods Co. Ltd imported this year has been consumed.:tiphat:http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2008/10/17/0503000000AEN20081017007600320.HTML

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/18/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 18) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.


Results available today showed that of the 66 samples tested, 64 were satisfactory. These included milk and milk beverages, cream, instant drink mixes, biscuits and cakes.

Two samples were found unsatisfactory.

Details are as follows:

1) Munchy's Mini Crackers with Peanut Butter (net weight: 45g, expiry date: 15.7.2009). The level of melamine detected was 5.4ppm.
2) Munchy's Mini Crackers with Cheese Cream (net weight: 45g, expiry date: 15.7.2009). The level of melamine detected was 3.8ppm. Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned products is 2.5ppm.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the products with unsatisfactory results. We have also sent warning letters to the retailer and the importer concerned. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of "Munchy's Mini Crackers with Peanut Butter" which was detected with a melamine level of 5.4 ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 0.59kg (about 13 packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 7 kg (about 156 packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

On the sample of "Munchy's Mini Crackers with Cheese Cream" which was detected with a melamine level of 3.8 ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 0.84kg (about 19 packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 9.9 kg (about 221 packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the levels detected, people are advised to stop consuming the products concerned," the spokesman said.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing," a spokesman for the CFS said.

"Test results for some biscuits, cakes, puddings, pudding powder, milk and instant drink mixes will be available on Monday."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
-
--

View Original Article

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/20/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 20) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.


Results available today showed that 65 of the 66 samples tested were satisfactory.

These included biscuits, cakes, puddings, pudding powder, milk and instant drink mixes.

The sample found unsatisfactory was Julie's Wheat Crackers (Net weight: 350g (12.34oz), one big pack containing 14 small individual packs, Expiry date: 9.8.2009). The level of melamine detected was 5.8ppm.

Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned product is 2.5ppm.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the product with unsatisfactory results. We have also sent warning letters to the retailer and the importer concerned. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of "Julie's Wheat Crackers" which was detected with a melamine level of 5.8ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 551g (about 1.5 big packs, i.e. 21 small individual packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI.

An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 6.5kg (about 18 big packs, i.e. 252 small individual packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the level detected, people are advised to stop consuming the product concerned," the spokesman said.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing.

"Test results for some milk, biscuits, cakes and pudding powder will be available tomorrow."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
--

View Original Article

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

1500 dogs dead after eating melamine-tainted food

8:41AM Tuesday Oct 21, 2008

Gillian Wong

AP

BEIJING - Some 1500 Chinese dogs have died after eating melamine-tainted animal feed, the latest contamination involving the chemical in a scandal that has sickened tens of thousands of babies and raised questions about the prevalence of the toxin in the country's food chain.

The raccoon dogs - a breed native to east Asia that is raised for its fur - were fed a product that contained melamine and developed kidney stones, Zhang Wenkui, a veterinary professor at Shenyang Agriculture University, said Monday. All of the dogs died on farms in just one village.

"First, we found melamine in the dogs' feed, and second, I found that 25 per cent of the stones in the dogs' kidneys were made up of melamine," said Zhang, who determined that the animals died of kidney failure after performing a necropsy - an animal autopsy - on about a dozen dogs.

The animals take their name from their fur, which resembles that of raccoons, and is used to make clothing, especially coats.

Zhang declined to say when the deaths occurred but a report in the Southern Metropolis Daily said they had been over the past two months.

The newspaper also blamed the deaths of several hundred dogs on melamine, but it was not immediately clear how the chemical entered the feed.

In the ongoing tainted milk scandal, which has been linked to the deaths of four babies, melamine was said to be added to watered-down milk to artificially boost nitrogen levels, making products seem higher in protein when tested. Some 54,000 children were also sickened.

The animal deaths were also a reminder of last year's uproar over a Chinese-made pet food ingredient containing melamine that was linked to the deaths of dozens of dogs and cats in the United States.

At the time, China's product safety authorities revoked the business licenses of questionable firms, announced tougher guidelines and increased inspections. But countless small and illegally operated manufacturers found throughout the country make monitoring hard. It also makes it difficult to define the supply chain and trace the origin of components, chemicals and food additives.

"It's still happening because it's enormously profitable. It's much cheaper to put melamine in as a nitrogen source than to put a real source in," said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University who wrote a book about the tainted pet food scandal.

"You're going to have this kind of thing until you have a food safety system that's adequate to oversee what's going on or provide enough of a deterrent that people doing this think there's too much of a chance they're going to get caught," she said.

Raccoon dogs are not the only animals in China that have fallen victim to melamine-tainted products - a lion cub and two baby orangutans developed kidney stones last month at a zoo near Shanghai.

Hospital officials said the three baby animals had been nursed for more than a year with milk powder made by Sanlu Group Co, which is at the centre of the tainted milk crisis.

Melamine has been found in a wide range of Chinese-made dairy products and foods with milk ingredients over the past few months. The government is still trying to win back consumer confidence after those tainted products turned up on store shelves around the world.

When ingested by humans, the industrial chemical - used in plastics and fertilisers - can cause kidney stones as the body tries to eliminate it and, in extreme cases, can lead to kidney failure. Infants are particularly susceptible.

Zhang said the company that produces the animal feed is in talks with breeders in Xishan, the village in Liaoning province where the dogs died, about providing compensation and has pressured them not to talk to the media.

Zhang did not give the company's name but the newspaper report said the feed was produced by Harbin Hualong Feed Co. The company refused to comment yesterday, saying officials were unavailable because they were in a meeting.

An official surnamed Liu at the Liaoning provincial animal feed and medicine inspection centre said the facility tested one sample of animal feed from Xishan and found that it contained about 500 parts per million of melamine.

China's Health Ministry recently capped the amount of melamine permissible in milk, milk powder and food products that contain more than 15 per cent dairy to 2.5 parts per million.

Liu said that the centre was assisting the Ministry of Agriculture in a nationwide inspection of animal feed for similar contamination but would not give any other details.

The ministry did not respond to a list of faxed questions. Telephone calls to the agricultural department of the Ciyutuo county government, which oversees Xishan, rang unanswered.

China's products have been under intense scrutiny after high levels of industrial toxins were found last year in exports ranging from toothpaste to toys.

The milk scandal has resulted in recalls and the blocking of Chinese imports in numerous countries.

Australia said yesterday that it had ordered a recall of a milk drink and cake brand after tests showed they were contaminated with melamine.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10538604&pnum=0

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/21/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 21) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.


Results available showed that 54 of the 55 samples tested were satisfactory.

These included milk, biscuits, cakes and pudding powder.

The unsatisfactory sample was Munchy's The Original Sugar Crackers (Net weight: 380g (13.4oz), one big pack containing three small individual packs, Expiry date: 15.7.2009). The level of melamine detected was 4ppm. Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned product is 2.5ppm.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the product with unsatisfactory results. We have also sent warning letters to the retailer and the importer concerned. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of "Munchy's The Original Sugar Crackers" which was detected with a melamine level of 4ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about 3 years old) would have to eat about 800g (about two big packs, i.e. six small individual packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 9.45kg (about 25 big packs, i.e.75 small individual packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the level detected, people are advised to stop consuming the product concerned," the spokesman said.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing.
"Test results for some milk and milk beverages, biscuits, cakes and Chinese buns will be available tomorrow."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
-

View Original Article

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

3 more Macau children sick after drinking milk

The Associated Press

Published: October 22, 2008


HONG KONG: Three more children in the southern Chinese gambling enclave of Macau have developed kidney stones after drinking milk that may have been be tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, bringing the total number of sick children to seven, the government said.

Neighboring Hong Kong has recently reported 10 cases in the Chinese milk scandal that has seen dairy products contaminated with melamine sickening tens of thousands of Chinese children, and is linked to the deaths of four infants.

Ultrasounds confirmed the diagnoses in the three new cases in Macau ? two 6-year-old girls and an 11 year-old boy, the government said in a statement late Tuesday.

The boy is currently hospitalized but the two girls developed small stones and did not require hospital treatment, government spokeswoman Elena Au told The Associated Press.

The two girls drank milk made by Chinese dairy Yili Industrial Group Co, Au said.

Yili's products were earlier confirmed to contain melamine.

Officials are still investigating what brand of milk the boy drank, Au said.

Authorities in China have blamed dairy suppliers for the contamination scandal, saying they added melamine to watered-down milk to dupe quality control tests and make the product appear rich in protein.

Melamine is used in the manufacturing of plastics, fertilizer, paint and adhesives. Health experts say ingesting a small amount poses no danger, but in larger doses, the chemical can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. Infants are particularly vulnerable.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/22/asia/AS-Macau-Tainted-Milk.php

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/22/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 22) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.


Results available showed that 74 of the 75 samples tested were satisfactory.

These included milk and milk beverages, biscuits, cakes and Chinese buns.

The unsatisfactory sample was "Mai-lai" cake (...). The level of melamine detected was 3.2ppm. Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned product is 2.5ppm.

"The 'Mai-lai' cake sample was taken from a restaurant.

The CFS has sent a warning letter to the food premises concerned and asked it to stop selling the product.

In its follow-up action, the CFS understood that the product in question was made by the food premises concerned.

Raw materials for making the product were taken for tests.

If there is sufficient evidence, prosecutions will be taken out."a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of "Mai-lai" cake which was detected with a melamine level of 3.2ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about 3 years old) would have to eat about 1kg (assume around 126g per piece, about eight pieces) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 11.8kg (assume around 126g per piece, about 94 pieces) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing."

"Test results for some milk and milk beverages, cakes, biscuits, cheeses, chocolates and cream will be available tomorrow."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
-

View Original Article

 

[Treyfish]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

China says more than 3,600 children still hospitalized after drinking tainted milk


javascript:void(0); http://www.chinapost.com.tw/print/180084.htm javascript:void(0);
Oct 23,2008

BEIJING ?? More than 3,600 children in China remain hospitalized after drinking contaminated milk powder, the government says.


A total of 3,654 children remain sick, with three in serious condition, the Health Ministry said in a notice on its Web site posted late Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, a total of 46,717 children have been treated and discharged, it said. Milk powder contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine has been blamed for the deaths of four infants.

The notice said all of the deaths occurred between May and August, which was before the public knew that milk products were tainted.

Melamine, used in plastics and fertilizer, can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure in larger doses.

Since authorities announced in September that melamine had been found in milk, the scandal has prompted a string of recalls of Chinese-made milk products in dozens of countries.

Authorities say melamine apparently was added to dairy products by middlemen who collected milk from farmers and sold it to large dairy companies. The melamine boosted nitrogen levels and made the milk seem higher in protein when tested.

A United Nations report Wednesday urged the country to enact stricter laws and replace its patchwork surveillance system to help restore public trust badly shaken by a spate of food safety scandals.
Most critically, China needs a unified regulatory agency and a place consumers can go for reliable information, the report said. :smartass:The task is now split among a half dozen government agencies, creating confusion and uneven enforcement, it said.:tiphat:http://www.chinapost.com.tw/health/other/2008/10/23/180084/China-says.htm

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/25/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 25) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.

Results available today showed that 75 of the 77 samples tested were satisfactory.

These included milk, eggs, biscuits, cakes and cake mixes.

Two samples were found unsatisfactory.

Details are as follows:

1) Select Fresh Brown Eggs (Extra Large) (6 Pieces)(Expiry Date:25.10.2008) Producer: (...) Address: (...) Egg farm: (...) Address: (...) Batch number: 089060908003HC Registration code: 2100D00197 List number: 2100DJ011 The level of melamine detected was 4.7ppm.

2) Croley Foods Sunflower Crackers (Blueberry Cream Sandwich) (net weight: 270g, one big pack containing 10 small individual packs, expiry date: 5.12.2008). The level of melamine detected was 3.2ppm.

Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned products is 2.5ppm.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the products with unsatisfactory results. We have also sent warning letters to the retailers and the importers concerned. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," a spokesman for the CFS said.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of " Select Fresh Brown Eggs (Extra Large)(6 pieces)" which was detected with a melamine level of 4.7 ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 0.68kg (assume around 56g per piece, i.e. about 12 pieces) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 8.04 kg (assume around 56g per piece, i.e. about 144 pieces) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

On the sample of "Croley Foods Sunflower Crackers (Blueberry Cream Sandwich)" which was detected with a melamine level of 3.2 ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 1kg (about 4 big packs, i.e. 37 small individual packs) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 11.81kg (about 44 big packs, i.e. 437 small individual packs) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the levels detected, people are advised to stop consuming the products concerned," the spokesman said.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products and products with dairy ingredients for testing.

Test results for some milk, eggs, biscuits and Chinese buns will be available on Monday," a spokesman for the CFS said. "We will also continue to collect egg samples and we expect the tests on Mainland eggs will be completed within next week."

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
-

View Original Article

 

[Shiloh]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/25/hongkong.melamine.ap/index.html

Hong Kong expands tests after egg scare
updated 2:05 a.m. EDT, Sun October 26, 2008

HONG KONG, China (AP) -- The discovery of excessive levels of the industrial chemical melamine in Chinese eggs has prompted the Hong Kong authorities to expand health tests to include meat products imported from China, a senior official said Sunday.

The move follows the announcement late Saturday that Hong Kong testers had found 4.7 parts per million of melamine in imported eggs produced by a division of China's Dalian Hanwei Enterprise Group. The legal limit for melamine in foodstuffs in Hong Kong is 2.5 ppm.

Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said the melamine may have come from feed given to the chickens that laid the eggs. "The preliminary opinion experts have given us is that there is a problem with the (chicken) feed," Chow told reporters Saturday.

The egg results have prompted officials to expand food testing to meat imports from China, Chow told reporters Sunday.

Chow said Hong Kong officials will step up checks of eggs imported from China.

Calls to Dalian Hanwei Enterprise Group, based in the northeastern port city Dalian, Sunday went unanswered.

In an earlier egg-related food safety scare in Hong Kong and China the banned cancer-causing industrial dye, Sudan Red, was used to color egg yolks.

China is caught in a food safety scandal over dairy products tainted with melamine. More than 3,600 children remain sick in China from contaminated milk, with three in serious condition, the Ministry of Health said last week. The deaths of four infants have been blamed on dairy products contaminated with melamine.

Authorities say middlemen apparently added melamine to milk they collected from farmers to sell to large dairy companies. The suppliers are accused of watering down the milk and then adding the nitrogen-rich chemical to make the milk seem higher in protein when tested.
advertisement

Melamine is used in the manufacturing of plastics, fertilizer, paint and adhesives. Health experts say ingesting a small amount poses no danger, but in larger doses, the chemical can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. Infants are particularly vulnerable.

The Hong Kong government also said it found excessive amounts of melamine in Blueberry Cream Sandwich crackers made by Philippine company Croley Foods MFG. Corp.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/28/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 28) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.

Results available today showed that 54 of the 55 samples tested were satisfactory.

These included milk, eggs, flour and infant formula.

The level of melamine detected in the unsatisfactory egg sample was 2.9ppm. Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned products is 2.5ppm.

"The medium-sized egg sample was taken from a restaurant. The CFS has sent warning letters to the food premises and distributor concerned and asked them to stop using and selling the product with unsatisfactory results. We understand that the product in question is from Hubei Province and the processing plant is ... (production date:10.10.2008, production batch number: 4200/D0701808223).

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the concerned product.''

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of medium sized egg which was detected with a melamine level of 2.9ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 1.1kg (about 24 eggs, assuming the edible portion of a medium-sized egg weighs around 46g) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 13 kg (about 283 eggs, assuming the edible portion of a medium-sized egg weighs around 46g) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the level detected, people are advised to stop consuming the product concerned.

"We will continue to collect samples of dairy products, products with dairy ingredients and eggs for testing.

Test results for some milk, milk powder, eggs, baby food and flour will be available tomorrow," a spokesman for the CFS said.

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
-

View Original Article

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Hong Kong: Latest test results for melamine (10/29/2008) [CFS]

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 29) released the latest batch of results of melamine tests.

Results available today showed that 92 of the 93 samples tested were satisfactory. These included some milk, milk powder, eggs, baby food and flour.

The level of melamine detected in the unsatisfactory egg sample was 3.1ppm. Under the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2008, the legal limit for melamine in the concerned products is 2.5ppm.

"The small-sized egg sample was taken from an importer in Western Wholesale Food Market. The CFS has sent a warning letter to the importer and asked it to stop selling the product with unsatisfactory results. We understand that the product in question is from Hubei Province and the processing plant is ... (address: ... production date: 6.10.2008, production batch number: 4200/D0700708451)," a CFS spokesman said.

"We have informed the food trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the concerned product. We have also informed the Mainland authorities for follow up, and requested them to stop the concerned processing plant from exporting eggs and egg products to Hong Kong."

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the safety reference value (i.e. tolerable daily intake - TDI) for melamine is 0.63mg per kg of body weight per day. For children under the age of three years, who are more sensitive to melamine, the TDI for melamine is 0.32mg per kg of body weight per day. Transient excursion above the TDI of melamine would have no health consequences provided that the average intake over a long period has not exceeded the TDI.

On the sample of medium sized egg which was detected with a melamine level of 3.1ppm, the spokesman said a child weighing 10kg (about three years old) would have to eat about 1.03kg (about 26 eggs, assuming the edible portion of a small-sized egg weighs around 39g) of the product a day to reach the TDI. An adult with average body weight of 60kg would need to consume about 12.19 kg (about 313 eggs, assuming the edible portion of a small-sized egg weighs around 39g) of the product a day before reaching the TDI.

"Based on the level detected, people are advised to stop consuming the product concerned.

"We have so far tested 96 egg samples, among which 62 are from the Mainland. A total of 93 have been found satisfactory. Test results for milk and milk powder, eggs, baby food and infant formula will be available tomorrow," a spokesman for the CFS said.

Information on the test results can be found on the CFS's website, www.cfs.gov.hk.

People can also call the CFS's enquiry number 2381 6096 which operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
-

View Original Article

 

[Treyfish]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

S. Korea finds melamine in Chinese jelly product

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- A harmful chemical has been detected in a Chinese jelly product used to make locally sold sweets, the government announced Wednesday.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) said it found 18.1 parts per million (ppm) of melamine in "Haspi," a semi-finished jelly product imported by a local confectionery company from China's Hebeilangfang Aolifa Group.:tiphat:http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2008/10/29/0302000000AEN20081029009200315.HTML

 

[Shiloh]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

Source: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK261908.htm


China turns to fixing system as toxic milk cases fall
31 Oct 2008 00:15:56 GMT
Source: Reuters
BEIJING, Oct 31 (Reuters) - China's health minister urged the nation's officials to focus on fixing its problem-ridden food safety system now the flood of Chinese children hospitalised for toxic milk poisoning has eased.

Health minister Chen Zhu said that as of Wednesday there were 2,390 children still in hospital after suffering kidney stones and other painful complications from drinking infant formula adulterated with the chemical melamine.

"Now we've gone past the peak in infant checks and diagnoses," he told officials on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency reported late that day.

At the peak in late September, up to 22,000 infants were in hospital on any one day after being found sick from the melamine, which was used to disguise sub-standard or diluted milk, Chen said. On Wednesday, 90 more children were hospitalised because of the toxin, he said.

Four children have died from the tainted formula.

But with China battling a fresh melamine scare, now in eggs, Chen urged officials to break down bureaucratic barriers that have hindered the government's handling of this and the burst of food safety scandals last year.

"Improve the food safety general coordination mechanism as quickly as possible," he told the video-conference of health officials. "Coordinate and cooperate to investigate and punish major incidents."

The World Health Organisation's food safety chief Jorgen Schlundt last week called China's food safety system "disjointed" and said poor communications between dispersed ministries and agencies may have prolonged the outbreak of melamine poisoning.

That same toxin is now scaring consumers from Chinese mainland-raised eggs tainted through chicken feed. The chemical has been detected in eggs sold in Hong Kong and South Korea.

No illnesses have been attributed to the tainted eggs. But the scare has come as another reminder of the widespread use of melamine throughout China's food production.

Tests have revealed it in a variety of Chinese-made products from milk and chocolate bars to yoghurt exported around the world. And last year, melamine was found in China-made pet food ingredients that killed pets in the United States. (Reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by Valerie Lee)

 

[Treyfish]

Re: China: Melamine tainted milk, current situation

<TABLE class=formlayout id=apex_layout_271110100662109808 summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=left>30-OCT-2008</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/AH/EDR> Melamine contaminated food products (05): worldwide ex China</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

MELAMINE CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCTS (05): WORLDWIDE ex CHINA************************************************************A ProMED-mail post<http://www.promedmail.org>ProMED-mail is a program of theInternational Society for Infectious Diseases<http://www.isid.org>[Note that the news stories below have been briefly excerpted. Readers may use the link to read each full report. - Ed.LM][1]Date: 30 Oct 2008Source: BBC News Asia-Pacific [edited]<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7699100.stm>Despite [perhaps because of? - Mod.JW] a national campaign, lapses in food safety are continuing [to unfold]; 3 more [now 4, see below] Chinese brands of chicken's eggs have been found to contain high levels of the chemical melamine. Tests in Hong Kong first revealed dangerously high levels of the substance in eggs from a mainland supplier earlier this week [starting 26 Oct 2008]. [Mainland] officials were reportedly aware of the contamination a month earlier [September 2008].Like the milk scandal before it, the contamination of China's egg supply appears to be far more widespread than first realized. And as before, it seems that local officials on the mainland attempted to cover up news of the contamination, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing.A newspaper in Beijing reports that the sanitation department of Liaoning province, in the northeast, began investigating a local egg producer at the beginning of October [2008]. It then ordered a ban on any media interviews.Local officials say melamine was illegally mixed into chicken feed to make eggs [test] richer in protein than they were, but central authorities have not commented.Despite a nationwide campaign to raise food safety standards and reassure consumers, the mainland's broken down food safety inspectorate is still failing to catch and report lapses in standards when they happen, our correspondent says. Hong Kong is stepping up its tests of mainland Chinese food products and is asking China's help to trace the source of melamine contamination in eggs. Testing of animal feed, chicken meat and eggs will also be introduced.--Communicated byProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall******[2]Date: 31 Oct 2008Source: BizChinaUpdate, China [edited]<http://www.bizchina-update.com/content/view/1541/2>On Fri 31 Oct 2008, China's food safety authority found traces of the toxic chemical melamine in eggs from Shanxi and Hubei provinces.[Byline: Gary Bowerman]--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[3]Date: 30 Oct 2008Source: Shanghai Daily, China [edited]<http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200810/20081030/article_378837.htm>Four Chinese brands of eggs were found containing melamine this week in Hong Kong and Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province.--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>[Map showing provinces in China:<http://www.xhes.com/v800/images%5Cprovinces.jpg>. - Mod.JW]******[4]Date: 29 Oct 2008Source: Taipei Times, Taiwan [edited]<http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/10/29/2003427214>The Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday [28 Oct 2008] that protein powder imported from China was found to contain 1.90 parts per million (ppm) to 5.03 ppm of melamine. Of the 393 tons of protein powder imported from [mainland] China this year [2008], 261 tons imported from Jilin Jinyi and Dalian Green Snow were found to be contaminated with melamine, deputy health minister Cheng Shou-hsia said at a press conference yesterday [28 Oct 2008].[Byline: Shelley Huang, Staff Reporter]--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[5]Date: 30 Oct 2008Source: Malaysia Star, Malaysia [edited]<http://blog.thestar.com.my/permalink.asp?id=18940>Singapore's NST [New Straits Times] this morning [30 Oct 2008] reported that [Malaysian] Julie biscuits were found to contain excessive melamine and were subsequently banned from sale.--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[6]Date: 31 Oct 2008Source: Daily Yomiuri, Japan [edited]<http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20081031TDY02307.htm>The toxic substance melamine has been detected in China-made pumpkin steam buns, buffet restaurant operator Nilax Inc. said Wednesday [29 Oct 2008].--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[7]Date: 30 Oct 2008Source: Bloomberg [edited]<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=amvtsXZ2SamY&refer=australia>Boxer Lovers Body Pen Set, described by its maker as the sensual way to indulge a sweet tooth, joined Orion cakes and Kirin tea on the list of products recalled in Australia because of contamination with the chemical melamine.Consumers who may have bought this product are advised not to consume this body paint, which should be disposed of safely, Australia's food safety regulator said in a statement.[Byline: Robert Fenner]--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>[Britain's Food Standards Agency says the products were manufactured in the southern Chinese city of Zhongshan in Guangdong province by a company called Le Bang. - Mod.JW]******[8]Date: 30 Oct 2009Source: Injury Board USA [edited]<http://chicago-land.injuryboard.com/fda-and-prescription-drugs/scary-halloween-treats-keeping-an-eye-out-for-melamine.aspx?googleid=250384>The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled Sherwood Brand's Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate Coins, which were made in China, because they tested positive for melamine. The FDA maintains that the product was only distributed in Canada but that they are still keeping an eye on the situation.--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[9]Date: 29 Oct 2008Source: KVAL [edited]<http://www.kval.com/news/33560574.html>Chocolate coins tainted with melamine were recently recalled in Canada. Officials say they're not found at any U.S. stores, but you can buy them online.--Communicated byroMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>******[10]Date: 30 Oct 2008Source: InjuryBoard.com [edited]<http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/Trick-Or-Treat-From-China2.aspx?googleid=250374>Consumers might want to check their children's candies this Halloween following an alert from Canada about melamine-tainted chocolates from China. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an alert for some candy and foods made in China and says it is taking aggressive action to inspect food, candy and other imports from China (see list at URL).:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74575</PRE>