Melamine as a Food Additive - A New Case Study

A new case study was released in October titled "A Case Study of Melamine as a Counterfeit Food Product
Additive in Chinese Human and Animal Food Supply Chain Networks" by Robyn R. Mace

Melamine in US Eggs?

I have been very careful to buy organic eggs lately. I am also very interested in speaking with ranches and producers of eggs about their livestock feed.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the questions I have been asking the CDFA and the FSIS about eggs, melamine and livestock feed. 

Well, I wanted to update that info and try to get more answers. So today I called Norco Ranch, an egg producer in Riverside California. I spoke with a rep about the eggs labeled organic with vegetarian feed. I told him my family had purchased eggs labeled organic, and I wanted to clarify the labels and confirm the claims about cage-free access and animal feed on the carton. He assured me that the livestock that produce those eggs don't eat any animal scraps, only vegetarian feed including corn and soy. When I asked him if there was melamine in the animal feed, he said, "Not for the eggs you purchased". I was actually a little shocked at his reply. So naturally I asked him if there was melamine in the feed for the rest of the hens that produce the rest of the other caged, non-organic eggs, because I know sometimes melamine is used in feed as a binder. He replied that "sure, probably" there was melamine in the feed, that he "hasn't checked" but that there "probably is melamine" in that feed.

I called FSIS (my last post on this topic pointed out that I was directed to call them) and spoke with a rep who said I had to call the FDA. Good times! We both laughed an agreed that the phone would not be answered - it would just keep ringing. The FSIS said, "We're a federal agency and we can't even get through to the FDA." . Ugh. The FDA. In all seriousness, it's not funny. So I called the California Department of Food and Agriculture (last time I emailed them) because I found a link on their website that says they are the agency that oversees livestock feed on the state level in California. I spoke with a rep in Sacramento. She stated that CDFA does random testing for melamine at UC Davis. I asked her if I could get the results of those tests and she put me on hold then came back and referred me to the Head of the Investigation Team. I left him a message. I hope he calls me back.

In light of the recent information about melamine-tainted livestock feed causing melamine-tainted eggs, I think there needs to be more worldwide testing of the eggs we consume. And the results need to be publicized. Contrary to James McWilliams' Op-Ed in the New York Times, everyone doesn't have the choice to buy organic food. Organic food is expensive and people on fixed incomes, such as seniors, and millions of people who can barely afford the rising cost of food, do not simply have the choice to start buying organic to protect their family from poisonous food. Whether you can afford melamine-free food or organic food - or not, everyone deserves the same healthy choices.

FDA Announces "Countrywide Import Alert"

The FDA announced today that they will be blocking imports of Chinese dairy products, and food and feed products manufactured in China that contain dairy ingredients. This countrywide alert is welcomed news.

It is also good news that the "additional information" the FDA received about the scope of the melamine contamination will compel them to examine non-dairy items as well. While testing of food and feed that contains dairy from China has been the most recent focus, non-dairy ingredients from China such as wheat products, rice protein and vegetable proteins were found to be contaminated with melamine last year (pet food) and recent reports from Hong Kong indicate that Chinese animal feed (hen, fish) have been found to contain melamine as recently as last week. This indicates that the "scope" of the contamination goes beyond dairy. And beyond China. Hopefully the FDA is aware of this and will consider a wider alert that leads to better food safety and more informed consumers. Below is the update from the FDA website, Melamine section:

Update on FDA’s Investigation
November 13, 2008: As part of its ongoing strategy to address the present problem with melamine contamination of consumer products exported from the People’s Republic of China, FDA has expanded its import controls on Chinese dairy products, and food and feed products manufactured in China that contain dairy ingredients. Since Oct. 10, 2008, FDA has had an import alert in place for specific products found contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds. FDA has collected additional information on the scope of the melamine contamination problem in China, and determined a countrywide import alert is warranted.
This action will help ensure that only Chinese dairy products and food and feed products manufactured in China that contain dairy ingredients are not contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds reach U.S. consumers. No adverse health effects have been reported in the United States from contamination with melamine of dairy products or dairy containing products. But melamine is not approved for direct addition to human or animal foods and no manufacturer is allowed to deliberately add it to any food for U.S. consumers.
As part of ongoing activities, FDA will also examine a range of protein-containing products beyond just dairy and dairy-containing products for contamination with melamine and melamine-related compounds. FDA will continue to take appropriate regulatory action if these efforts uncover additional contamination.

FDA’s Warnings/Advisories
The FDA is advising consumers not to consume the following products because of possible melamine contamination:
Fresh and Crispy Jacobina Biscuits New!
Koala’s March Crème filled Cookies
YILI Brand Sour Milk Drink
YILI Brand Pure Milk Drink
Blue Cat Flavored Drinks
White Rabbit Candies
Mr. Brown Mandehling Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Arabica Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Blue Mountain Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Caramel Macchiato Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown French Vanilla Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Mandheling Blend instant Coffee (2-in-1)
Mr. Brown Milk Tea (3-in-1)
Infant formula manufactured in China

Is It Real or Is It Melamine?

Hong Kong is reporting that fish feed they've imported from China has been found to be contaminated with melamine. Hong Kong officials (whoever they are) are saying that the resulting Melafish are probably safe for human consumption because humans are not "directly eating the melamine". Um, no thanks. I like my seafood to be 100% seafood - not part plastic.

Test Our Eggs, Please

We need to test the quality of the eggs produced around the U.S. to help ensure the good health of residents. Especially since eggs produced in China and tested in Hong Kong have been found to contain high levels of melamine. This implies that perhaps melamine has contaminated many more products originating from China than previously thought.

I recently spoke with someone at Organic Valley about their eggs (no melamine in their feed, he assured me) and adding melamine to animal feed for chickens. The OV rep said it was very smart to be inquiring about who uses melamine in their animal feed here in the U.S.  

As far as imports are concerned: so we don't import any milk from China... Well, do we import eggs? If so, where are they sold or used?