Stemming from more than 50,000 sick and at least 3 dead infants in China, the FDA began testing infant formula made in the United States looking for the chemical melamine. The result of these test results have caused quite a stir among parents who feed their babies formula.
Melamine Found in Chinese Infant Formula
Milk used for baby powered milk in China had been watered down in order to recoup losses after a rejected shipment of milk. In order to get around quality control, the chemical melamine was added to the formula to make it look as if the milk had higher protein levels. In 2004, several children died from malnutrition from a similar incident where the milk was watered down. Arrests have been made relating to the Melamine contamination.
Melamine Found in American Infant Formula
The Food and Drug Administration officials have set a safety threshold of 1 part per million of melamine in formula, provided cyanuric acid is not present. According to the FDA, the levels of melamine found in US formula are significantly below the safety threshold and thus are safe to continue feeding to infants. The melamine traces found are most likely due to the legal use of the chemical as a cleaning agent on the machines used to produce the formula.
The Danger of Melamine
Melamine, when combined with cyanuric acid, can cause kidney stones and in some cases kidney damage. As of yet there have been no reports of illness in American babies as a result of the melamine, but parents have inundated the producers of Infant Formula with their concerns. Many parents are calling for a massive recall of infant formulas that contain these trace amounts of melamine.
Melamine was found in the pet foods that were recalled in 2007 due to the illness and death of many cats and dogs, even though the FDA could not directly link the pet deaths to the chemical. The FDA at that time stated that all products related to this Melamine contamination imported into the United States from China had to be tested by an independent laboratory to prove that there were no amounts of Melamine in the product before being allowed into consumer's hands.
Feeding your baby infant formula may be controversial, especially in light of the recent melamine scare. Even so, it is important for your baby to receive adequate nutrition. Talk to your pediatrician to decide what feeding routine is best for your baby.
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