Melamine Traces Found in U.S. Infant Formula
The FDA stated that it discovered the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula made by an American manufacturer, raising the possibility that the problem was more extensive in the US than previously thought. Agency officials said they had discovered melamine at trace levels in a single sample of infant formula. It was also discovered in several samples of dietary supplements made by the same manufactures that make the formula. FDA officials insisted that the levels of melamine were so low that they did not pose a health threat to infants and urged that there is no concern or risk from these levels. The agency spokeswoman said that the contamination was most likely the result of food contact with something like a can liner, or some other manufacturing problems, but not from deliberate adulteration. The woman declined to name the company that made the tainted infant formula. Melamine contamination became a major scandal in China after it was added to milk to disguise test results that measure protein levels. Since it was discovered in China, it has sickened more than 50,000 infants and killed 4. The FDA has stated that he has received assurances from American infant formula manufactures that they did not import ingredients from China. Though manufactures of domestic infant formula say they do not use Chinese ingredients, the F.D.A. began sampling infant formula anyway, using more sophisticated testing that had used in the past. The spokeswoman stated that the agency was testing 87 samples and had completed all but 10 of the tests. Of all of these, only one contained traces of melamine, but the FDA allows anything below 250 parts per billion of melamine in infant formula. The woman stated that the sample contained less than that as did the samples of dietary supplements. To read the full story, click here.
