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straybaby
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« Reply #720 on: October 03, 2008, 05:52:51 PM » |
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I think Nissin has already been mentioned in this. I know some waffers and Oreos have. If she gets the tests back, I hope she posts the toxins/levels. Sounds like a pretty violent reaction.
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #721 on: October 03, 2008, 05:54:18 PM » |
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Nissin manufactures Top Ramen, among other things.
Sounds very much like acute pet reactions to me, too.
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straybaby
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« Reply #722 on: October 03, 2008, 06:05:52 PM » |
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They have a recall in Canada and pulled product in Hong Kong and then I came across this . . http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20080922p2a00m0na008000c.htmlJapanese company rushes to recall pastries supplied by firm linked to China milk scare
A food catering company in Tokyo has announced that it supplied more than 300,000 pastries to over 3,000 facilities across the nation containing milk produced by a Chinese manufacturer whose products were contaminated with melamine.
Nissin Healthcare Food Service Co., Ltd. said on Sunday that it had supplied 3,054 facilities including hospitals and welfare institutions across the nation with 301,540 pastries called "Cream Panda," which the company bought from Marudai Food Co. |
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DMS
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« Reply #723 on: October 03, 2008, 06:16:06 PM » |
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This is really maddening! I can hardly stand the frustration I feel and the freaking disbelief at what is allowed to go on! I really believe the only positive effect we can have on our end of the world here is to independently test the food at our grocers. Otherwise, we will never know the truth. And write those letters and make those phonecalls. But more than anything else, I want proof! I don't believe any of the so-called regulatory authorities and definitely do not trust industry to regulate itself. Those two are the greatest obfuscators (or substitute your own noun there) of our time--maybe of all time!
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« Last Edit: October 03, 2008, 06:47:12 PM by DMS »
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None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #724 on: October 03, 2008, 06:30:51 PM » |
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DMS, I just don't dare put it in print.
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straybaby
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« Reply #725 on: October 03, 2008, 06:42:50 PM » |
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But more than anything else, I want proof! I don't believe any of the so called regulatory authorities and definitely do not trust industry to regulate itself.
I posted a comment to the blog that 3Cat posted (it's in moderation, prob because of links) inviting the mother on over here and asked that she post her test results on her blog (and hopefully here) when she gets them back. It's pretty [edited] sad as an American, that I'm asking a woman in another country for test results because I don't "trust the info we are being spoon fed here".  |
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DMS
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« Reply #726 on: October 03, 2008, 07:14:00 PM » |
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Here is an interesting snippet of information about melamine's solubility in water: http://chem.vander-lingen.nl/info/item/September_2008/id/137The journalists are very brief on the chemical details but trying to get some chemical background information is not that easy and certainly the scientific literature is not very helpfull (my library does not exactly subscribe to such journals as journal of food protection or journal of diary science). So with the combined power of search engines, wikipedia and some educated guesses this is a milk / melamine update. The nitrogen content of milk is made up of casein protein and whey protein both of which give the nutritional value. Non-protein nitrogen sources are ammonia, urea, creatine, creatinine, uric acid, orotic acid, peptides, hippuric acid and several amino acids. A typical milk sample will contain 87% water, true protein (TP) 3% , crude protein (CP) 3.10% and casein 2.6% link. These figures are surprisingly stable regardless of cow brand or cow nationality. The melamine contamination scandal concerns both regular milk and milk powder. One liquid milk sample was found to contain 8.4 milligrams of melamine per kg Link. With a crude protein content of 3.1% per kilogram milk, it is theoretically possible to disguise up to 40% dilution with an added 3 gram of melamine which is also the maximum solubility of melamine in water.The melamine contamination scandal concerns both regular milk and milk powder. One liquid milk sample was found to contain 8.4 milligrams of melamine per kg (Link). With a standard nitrogen content of 8% per kilogram milk, it is theoretically possible to disguise up to 50% dilution with an added 60 gram of melamine. |
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« Last Edit: October 03, 2008, 07:20:24 PM by DMS »
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None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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DMS
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« Reply #727 on: October 03, 2008, 07:28:26 PM » |
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http://www.economist.com:80/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12343910Land of milk and money Oct 3rd 2008 From Economist.com So why use an expensive industrial chemical that’s in short supply to dilute a dirt cheap product like milk? The answer can only be that either some flaw rendered the melamine industrially worthless, or it wasn’t melamine at all. The first suggestion is scary enough; the second is even more ominous. The only thing your correspondent can imagine that would render melamine industrially worthless is if it were reclaimed waste from the production process. Industrially, melamine is usually made by heating urea in the presence of a catalyst. Because large amounts of ammonia and carbon dioxide are given off in the process, most modern plants now combine melamine production with urea production, which uses ammonia and carbon dioxide as feedstocks. As the two processes feed off one another, a combined plant is considerably more efficient than two separate ones. But the final stage—washing the melamine and turning it into crystal form—produces lots of effluent that needs treating before releasing into the environment. The usual way to do that is to filter the waste water and pipe that away, and then dispose of the concentrated solids separately. Those accumulated solids are around 70% melamine, with the rest being made up of various by-products, including our old friend cyanuric acid. As mentioned before, a mixture of melamine and cyanuric acid can be a nasty witches’ brew, especially when ingested by infants. "produces lots of effluent that needs treating {or to magically disappear} before releasing into the environment" 3cats, when I read this and saw similar descriptions online, I wondered if the large amounts of waste water might be part of the contamination. It might mix more readily with milk, etc. And it should be properly disposed of  properly. I'm not sure if this is what the author is suggesting as he goes on to imply urine, I believe. But the wastewater angle sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Has anyone read a definitive, official account of how the melamine was added to milk? |
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« Last Edit: October 03, 2008, 07:39:02 PM by DMS »
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None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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DMS
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« Reply #728 on: October 03, 2008, 08:19:43 PM » |
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More bad news about uric acid and melamine; sorry if this is a repeat: http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_250440.htmlInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carcinogenic classification: Group 3, Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans [not enough/any data]Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin, and mucous membranes; dermatitis; in animals: chronic inflammation of kidneys (female rats); ulceration of urinary bladder epithelium (mice), urolithiasis (rats and mice); bladder cancer (male rats). Health Effects: Irritation-Eye, Nose, Throat, Skin---Mild (HE16) Affected organs: Kidneys, bladder, skin Notes: The main constituents of the stones in the urinary bladders of rats given melamine in the diet were reported to be unchanged melamine and uric acid in a 1:1 molar ratio. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/osaae60.html |
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« Last Edit: October 03, 2008, 08:34:29 PM by DMS »
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None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #729 on: October 03, 2008, 11:29:59 PM » |
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http://www.efluxmedia.com:80/news_Thailand_Initiates_Product_Tests_In_Melamine_Scandal_25759.htmlThailand Initiates Product Tests In Melamine Scandal By Judy Hill 04:07, October 4th 2008 The Asian country is taking every measure of protection against the melamine spread in a number of milk-based products made in China. While waiting for laboratory analysis, all the newly imported milk powder from China has been impounded by Thailand's Food and Drug Administration in ports all around the country. FDA secretary-general Pipat Yingseri says that this is just a precautionary measure. "This doesn't mean that the items are contaminated," he states. "We just want to make sure that there will not be contamination before releasing it for sale to the public." ... Thailand's legal limit is of 1 milligram of melamine per kilogram, which means that if a product contains less than that, it is considered nonthreatening to human health. The officials say that melamine may be found in such small amounts, due to accidental exposure in the making process, which is acceptable. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net:80/breakingnews/world/view/20081004-164588/Fourth-milk-brand-recalled-in-AustraliaFourth milk brand recalled in Australia Agence France-Presse First Posted 11:50:00 10/04/2008 SYDNEY -- A fourth Chinese milk product has been withdrawn from sale in Australia over a contamination scare which has killed four children and sickened 53,000 in China. Australian tests revealed levels of the industrial chemical melamine in Kirin milk tea, Food Standards Australia New Zealand said in a statement late Friday. "Consumers are advised not to consume Kirin milk tea made in China," the organization said. It was not immediately clear if the product was also sold in New Zealand. ... In the Philippines, two China-made products, Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk and Mengniu Drink, tested positive for melamine in partial test results released Friday
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« Last Edit: October 03, 2008, 11:41:48 PM by 3catkidneyfailure »
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #730 on: October 03, 2008, 11:56:30 PM » |
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October 4, 2008
News spin received in a Google Alert for FDA. Since the FDA can't tell you what level of melamine is "safe" for infants and
babies, has anyone in the mainstream media thought to ask the FDA how it determined 2.5 parts per million is a "safe" level for older
children, adults, and the elderly? Out of what long term exposure study hat did the FDA get this information? Remember 16 cats
and dogs from the pet food recalls of 2007? That turned out to be a tragic farce. Now it's suddenly endless repetition of 2.5 parts per million of melamine in the Chinese milk scandal of 2008??? Such study data does not exist I don't believe. And news spin is not going to make it stick with regard to babies and infants and other at-risk human beings no matter how often it's printed until the studies are published and the products are tested. And please don't accept any LDL50 (lethal dose limit) levels from studies on rats extrapolated to human beings. Pet owners already got suckered by that one in 2007. Not sure just who the "rats" are here, but 2.5 parts per million of melamine is more like an educated guess than a fact ...
In most foods, melamine traces won’t harm, FDA says
Kansas City Star - MO,USA
And Friday, a New Jersey company announced it was recalling a yogurt-type drink from China, Blue Cat Flavor Drink, after FDA testing found melamine. ...
See all stories on this topic
FDA Rules How Much Melamine Is Too Much
U.S. News & World Report - Washington,DC,USA
In determining its risk assessment standards for melamine contamination, the FDA concluded that levels of the chemical less than 2.5 parts per million are ...
See all stories on this topic
FDA: Tiny bit of melamine OK in most foods
Forbes - NY,USA
The FDA guideline is meant to help federal and state investigators checking for contaminated foods from China at ports of entry and in Asian community ...
See all stories on this topic
FDA: Tiny bit of melamine OK in most food
The Associated Press
Separately, a New Jersey company announced a recall of Chinese-made yogurt drinks Friday after FDA testing found melamine. The Blue Cat Flavor Drink, ...
See all stories on this topic
FDA: Tiny bit of melamine in food usually OK
The Associated Press
"There is too much uncertainty to set a level in infant formula and rule out any public health concern," the FDA said. Melamine first came to the attention ...
See all stories on this topic
FDA: Tiny bit of melamine in food usually OK
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators say eating a tiny bit of melamine is not harmful, except in baby formula. The Food and Drug Administration said Friday ...
See all stories on this topic
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« Last Edit: October 04, 2008, 12:55:45 AM by 3catkidneyfailure »
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #731 on: October 04, 2008, 01:08:39 AM » |
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http://afp.google.com:80/article/ALeqM5gucWjV9gKuaL8c8YM2W9J_ERKL3AMore nations pull suspect products as China milk scandal spreads 1 hour ago October 4, 2008 SEOUL (AFP) — South Korea, Australia and Japan Saturday pulled melamine-contaminated sweets and drinks from supermarket shelves amid a widening scandal over Chinese milk products tainted with the toxic chemical. Authorities in Seoul ordered Mars and Nestle to pull three products after melamine, which is usually used for making plastics, was detected in snacks made in China by the multinationals. The industrial chemical had been found in M&M's milk chocolate snack and Snickers peanut Fun Size, both produced by Mars, and Kit Kat chocolate bars imported from Nestle Tianjin in China, Korea Food and Drug Administration said. "Mars is recalling these products because it is legally obligated to do so following the announcement by the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA)," Mars said in a statement. Melamine has been blamed for making thousands of infants ill and killing four in mainland China after it tainted baby milk powder in one of the country's worst ever product safety scandals. China is struggling to limit the damage to its food safety reputation as a growing number of countries have decided to suspend imports of Chinese milk products or withdraw them from sale over the scandal. Mars said while it was complying with the South Korean request, the melamine levels detected were too small to pose a health risk, and called for a standard reporting limit of the industrial chemical across Asia. "Minute traces of melamine are commonly found throughout the global food chain and melamine levels below 2.5 ppm are not deemed to indicate adulteration with melamine," it said. There was no immediate comment from Nestle Korea. A KFDA official said South Korea does not allow any level of melamine in food. "No melamine in food is our standard," he told AFP ... A Japanese importer, meanwhile, began recalling Chinese chocolates suspected of being contaminated with melamine. The western Japanese city of Osaka said a test showed the chemical had been detected in "Chocolate Pillows" imported from China by Osaka-based NS International. While there had been no reports of health problems, the city ordered the importer to recall some 86,000 packages of the chocolates on the grounds that the company may have violated the food sanitation law.
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« Last Edit: October 04, 2008, 01:10:17 AM by 3catkidneyfailure »
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menusux
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« Reply #732 on: October 04, 2008, 04:20:14 AM » |
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http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i1PW8Su6EECm-m22gV1dABkLdHJQD93JKA080Associated Press October 4, 2008 South Korea finds 4 more melamine-tainted products "South Korea's food watchdog has ordered four more Chinese-made food products to be destroyed after they were found to contain the industrial chemical melamine. "Melamine was found in Snickers Peanut Funsize and M&Ms chocolate milk made by Mars, as well as KitKat wafers made by Nestle and a biscuit manufactured by Lotte Confectionery Co., the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement Saturday."The test results raise the number of known melamine-tainted food products imported to South Korea from China to 10. "The South Korean tests found 1.78 parts per million of melamine in Snickers bars, 2.38 parts per million in M&Ms, 2.89 parts per million for KitKats, and up to 3.36 parts per million in the Lotte biscuits. "Lotte and Mars Korea said they were withdrawing their products. Comments from Nestle Korea were not immediately available."
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menusux
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« Reply #733 on: October 04, 2008, 04:26:14 AM » |
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http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Frontpage/20081004183300/Article/index_htmlNew Straits Times Malaysia October 4, 2008 HIGH ALERT: Malaysia on look-out for melamine-tainted greens imported from China "THE Health Ministry is now on high alert over vegetables imported from China. “"We have learnt from Korea that they have detected a high level of melamine in vegetables they import from China,” said Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai.“"We have launched a Level 4 check on all food products from China where we will take samples to ensure the products are safe for consumption before releasing it into the market,” he told reporters after attending the Sabah MCA convention here today."
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5CatMom
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« Reply #734 on: October 04, 2008, 04:27:04 AM » |
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3Cat,
Are you keeping a list of the recalled products?
5CatMom
=^..^=
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"What is man without the beasts? If the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected." Chief Seattle
"We are the caretakers of our creatures . . . the peacekeepers of our planet"
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