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Melamine Poisoning
The Hidden Danger in Our Food Supply
June 29 , 2009
1. What is Melamine?
Melamine is an organic base industrial chemical most commonly
found in the form of white crystals rich in nitrogen. It is widely used
in plastics, adhesives, counter tops, whiteboards, and dishware called
melaware, as seen in the picture below.
We all MUST understand that Melamine is a manmade chemical
used in INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION - - - - - it has no nutritional value,
should not be eaten , and is harmful
to the body. Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia, tells us that Melamine is "Harmful
if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Chronic exposure
may cause cancer or reproductive damage. Eye, skin and respiratory irritant.”
2. Why is Melamine added to milk powder?
The most important nutrient
in milk is protein. And, Melamine has this same protein that contains
'NITROGEN'.
Adding Melamine into milk reduces the actual milk content required, And therefore it is cheaper than all milk. So it lowers the capital required In the production of milk products. Therefore it earns the business man more profit!
Below is Melamine; doesn't
it look like milk / milk powder?
It doesn't have any smell, so cannot be detected.
3. When was it discovered
that it had been added to milk products?
Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia, reports that in 2007, when US cats and dogs died suddenly,
they found that pet food from China contained Melamine. This same source
goes on to report that In September 2008, several companies were implicated
in a scandal involving milk and infant formula which had been adulterated
with melamine, leading to kidney stones and other renal failure, especially
among young children. By 22 September, nearly 300,000 people had become
ill, with more than 12,800 hospitalizations and four infant deaths.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine,it was reported
that melamine exposure increased the incidence of urinary tract stones
by seven times in children. Melamine may have been added to fool government
protein content tests.
In August 2008, China Sanlu Milk Powder tested for Melamine.
Sept. 2008, the New Zealand government asked China to investigate this
problem
Sept. 21, 2008, they found that many food products in Taiwan tested
for Melamine.
4. What happens when
Melamine ingested and digested?
Melamine remains inside
the kidneys. It forms into stones blocking the tubes.
Pain will be imminent and the person cannot urinate. Kidney(s) will
then swell.
Although surgery can remove
the stones, it causes irreversible kidney damage.
It can lead to the loss of kidney function and will require kidney dialysis
or lead to death
because of uremia.
5. What is dialysis?
It is the filtering, and can be referred to as 'blood washing', all
of the body's blood into a machine and then returning the blood back
to the body.
The whole process takes 4 hours;
and it is necessary to have dialysis once every 3 days for the rest
of your life.
6. Why is it much
more serious in babies?
They usually consume higher amounts of milk powder and their kidneys
are very small making them more susceptible to damage from kidney stone
formation.
China currently has 13,000 infants
hospitalized.
It does not matter how much Melamine
a human being ingested (ate) (took).
The important point is: 'MELAMINE
SHOULD NOT BE EATEN!'
7. What are the symptoms
and signs of melamine poisoning?
Irritability, blood in urine, little or no urine, signs of kidney infection,
high blood pressure
8. What foods are
to be avoided?
Foods from China that contain
dairy products should be avoided.
Remember: Foods with cream or milk should be avoided.
9. Which companies
are affected?
Below is a list of companies
affected with Melamine. This list is not complete but gives you an idea
of the widespread use of Melamine.
10. How to tell which products are Made in China, and other
countries.
Due to news reports about
lead poisoning and other contaminants, the whole world is becoming more
aware of avoiding products "Made In China ".
Do you know how to differentiate which products are made in The USA
, or in the Philippines , in Taiwan , or in China ?
Here's How:
The first 3 digits of the bar code identify the country code, wherein
the product was made.
For Example: ALL
bar codes that start with 690, 691, 692, etc., . . Up to and including
695 are all MADE IN CHINA.
Bar codes starting with 471 are printed on products Made in Taiwan .
You have a right to know. But the government and related departments never inform or educate the public. Therefore, we must be vigilante and educate ourselves to avoid the danger of Melamine poisoning.
Today, Chinese businessmen know that consumers will not select products 'Made in China '. So, they make every effort not to show or state the country of origin on their products. However, you can now refer to the barcode.
Do
remember if the first 3 digits are one of those between 690 and 695
inclusive then it is a product 'Made in China '.
OTHER BARCODES:
00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA
30 ~ 37 FRANCE
40 ~ 44 GERMANY
49 ~ JAPAN
50 ~ UK
57 ~ Denmark
64 ~ Finland
76 ~ Switzerland and Liechtenstein
628 ~ Saudi-Arabia
629 ~ United Arab Emirates
740 ~ 745 - Central America
All 480 Codes are Made in
the Philippines.
Watch an informative 10 minute YouTube video report on Melamine.
Please inform your family and friends of the dangers of Melamine poisoning by sending the link to this page. Send Link.
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