(Melamine Suspected) Chinese Officials Say Baby Formula Tied to Kidney Stones

[straybaby]

Ok, if they're going to do this "safe levels" bull poo poo, where are the tests to back it up? And when are they going to start listing it on the labels?! If one country says .5miligrams per kilo of body weight, then the amounts need to be on the labels so we can calculate our intake, right? It's not like they are adding this crap in equal amounts. Some of the tainted products have high levels. We also need to know how long it stays in our bodies. We may need to take a day or 2 off from eating melamine so we don't max out. Hopefully they'll give us pointers on how to prepare meals for a family/friends where the body weights at the dinner table can really vary . . . .

[5CatMom]

Can someone, who's in Bart Stupak's district, contact his office and tell him what's going on with these so called "safe levels" of melamine?

This is outrageous.

5CatMom
₌^..^₌

[3catkidneyfailure]

I've just plain reached the point of I cannot believe the utter horror of this tragedy and its effects worldwide.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008:

From India:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/International_Business/China_covered_up_milk_scare_to_protect_Olympics_critics_/articleshow/3547369.cms
China covered up milk scare to protect Olympics: critics 1 Oct, 2008, 0848 hrs
"The government's gag order on the media has the effect of shielding those responsible for the tainted milk from accountability," Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a network of domestic and foreign rights activists, said in an emailed report.
It cited several instances of reporting by Chinese media censored or banned by authorities. The instances could not be confirmed. The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists last week also criticised China for "escalated restrictions" on reporting on the scandal

From Uganda:
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business/UNBS_takes_action_on_Chinese_milk_imports_72399.shtml
UNBS takes action on Chinese milk imports Dorothy Nakaweesi Kampala
Uganda National Bureau of Standards has blacklisted all milk imports that could contain Chinese dairy derivatives as a safe guard. And also all these products will be restricted to a mandatory laboratory testing to determine the absence of melamine.
In Africa, Uganda becomes the fourth country to ban Chinese milk and products containing milk. Tanzania, Gabon and Burundi are the other countries, which have banned these products.

Uganda's ban brings to 54 nations worldwide those taking action against Chinese milk product imports ...

From Malaysia:
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=midweek&file=/2008/10/1/columnists/midweek/20081001081901&sec=Midweek
Wednesday October 1, 2008
Roller-coaster image of China also of its own doing
Meanwhile, problems with contaminated pet food returned with a vengeance, blowing up in Beijing's face with hazardous fallout in Taiwan and Japan.
Contaminated baby milk powder, discovered only last month, has so far killed four babies and sickened more than 50,000 others.
Pet food contamination was found in March last year when melamine as "protein falsifier" was added to food for cats and dogs. This was besides the rat poison aminopterin also found in pet food.
Today's controversy over contaminated milk enlarges the earlier problem. When the lives of infants are sacrificed by the unscrupulous in indecent, immoral and unlawful profiteering, the problem is clearly larger than is acknowledged.
Even China's leading dairy companies are implicated: Mengniu Dairy Group Co, Yili Industrial Group Co, Sanlu Group Co and Bright Dairy. Thus leading Western companies like Cadbury and Starbucks using Chinese dairy ingredients have had to suspend their China supplies.
Necessary action by Chinese officials has seemed slow and limited. As in the first stages of SARS in early 2003, the official response has initially been denial or damage control, PR and measured remedial action. This week CNN reported that Chinese lawyers volunteering to represent parents of stricken children had been warned off by officials.
How can a country that had successfully staged a dazzling Olympics, the most spectacular ever seen, also produce poisoned baby food? Answer: the Olympics is not only a staged show, but also for only a brief period and required no sustained best practices.
Even more inevitable than China's entry as a major player in the global marketplace is that players must observe some minimum safety standards. International trade is more important than any player in it, however significant and promising, with the health of this trade pivoting on the health of consumers.

From the USA:
http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/09/30/melamine-food-china-oped-cz_rm_1001meredith.html
Made In China Robyn Meredith 10.01.08, 12:00 AM ET
But when the Chinese government fails to protect children, Chinese people can turn from patient victims to aggressive protesters. During the summer's earthquake, many shoddily built government schools collapsed even as buildings next to them stayed standing. The government offered parents whose children had been killed by these "tofu buildings" hush money to placate them, and many parents were outraged. The loss of a child -- especially given China's one-child policy -- brought parents into the streets, a rare sight in a place where such an activity can get you thrown in jail. Now Chinese regulators have again allowed harm to come to China's children.
Neither rising incomes nor nationalistic pride in winning Olympic gold medals or sending men into space--as China did last week--can compensate.

http://www.latimes.com:80/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-melamine1-2008oct01,0,2825129.story
China's food failures
Chinese disregard for product safety makes it crucial for shoppers to know where food comes from.
Given the rapid succession of toxic Chinese products within the last 18 months -- toys containing lead, contaminated versions of the blood-thinner heparin linked to at least 149 deaths in the United States, poison toothpaste and seafood with dangerous levels of antibiotics -- China has run out of excuses, assurances and defenses. As a giant exporter of food and other products, its attitude toward consumer safety is a disgrace and a global health threat.

From Canada:
http://canadianpress.google.com:80/article/ALeqM5iHRfV7DThUQZ66OQX41LzKmbsCfg
CFIA recalls cookies because of tainted milk scandal in China
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recall of Chinese products linked to the tainted milk scandal in China continued Tuesday. The CFIA is warning people not to consume Lotte brand Koala's March filled cookies which may contain melamine. The affected products may have been distributed nationally

US consumers waiting for the beleaguered FDA to act on behalf of the fed up American people can turn from patient victims to aggressive protesters, too.

[straybaby]

Okay, so I have been unsuccessfully looking for the ingeredients in the steamed potato crackers and came across this:

Meanwhile, supermarket chain Giant has said that it has pulled two items that are not made in China, but which contain China dairy ingredients.

They are Pei Tian Cream Biscuit from Taiwan and Mosn Mosn Grape Juice  from Thailand.

Cold Storage has also pulled Swanson Chicken Broth, which is made in Hong Kong.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_284646.html

since when did grape juice contain dairy ingredients?!  And here's the ingredients for the chicken broth:

Chicken Stock, Chicken Flavor (Maltodextrin, Water, Dextrose, Salt, Chicken Flavor [Chicken Stock, Salt, Enzymes], Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Chicken Fat, Modified Food Starch, Ascorbic Acid, Sugar, Rosemary Extract), Salt, Dextrose, Spice Extract

[3catkidneyfailure]

"Modified Food Starch", thickening agent made with milk or vegetable derivatives?

[catmom5]

Bart Stupak is from the upper peninsula of Michigan and I'm not thinking that there are too many "yuppers" here, but I could be wrong. The interesting thing is that he is not very well supported by his party machine here ~ maybe too much integrity?

[TBOBINA]

More to add to the list today, sorry if this was posted already.  So now products are being found in Canada.  Now its Cookies!!!

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2008/20080930e.shtml

[straybaby]

"Modified Food Starch", thickening agent made with milk or vegetable derivatives?

Found this:

What is modified food starch? I have a wheat allergy and don't know if I should avoid foods that have it listed on the label.

Modified food starch is a starch that has been treated physically or chemically to modify one or more of its physical or chemical properties. The 'starch' could be from corn, wheat, potato, rice or tapioca--it depends on the manufacturer. By definition, modified food starch must contain less than .5% protein, but, it's up to the manufacturer to abide by that regulation, and there could be an exception.

You are smart to read food labels. That is the best way to tell which ingredients are found in processed foods. However, to be even safer, always check with the manufacturer about specific ingredients that could pose a health risk.

Sources: National Starch and Chemical; www.foodstarch.com
Food Allergy Network: 1-800-929-4040; http://www.foodallergy.org/index.html

http://missourifamilies.org/quick/nutritionqa/nutqa54.htm

[3catkidneyfailure]

Repeat post, but cannot be repeated too often:

Saturday, September 27, 2008:

Reply 509, page 34, 5CatMom (thank you)
Corrected Forbes address. Sorry, left the "l" off "html":

http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/09/27/2008-09-27T123805Z_01_B162168_RTRIDST_0_CHINA-MILK-RECALLS-FACTBOX.html

IMPORT BANS:
* BANGLADESH: -- Three Chinese powdered milk brands, Sanlu, Suncare and Yashili, banned. Melamine tests to be introduced on
                          all milk  powder imports at Bangladeshi seaports.
* BENIN: -- Bans powered milk products from China.
* BHUTAN: -- Bhutan has banned Chinese milk imports, ranging from chocolates, sweets and cakes to milk tablets.
* BRUNEI: -- All Chinese milk products banned by Health Ministry, even though Brunei does not directly import dairy products from China.
* BURUNDI: -- Banned import, sale of Chinese milk products.
* COLOMBIA: -- Banned import of China-made powdered milk.
* CAMEROON: -- Suspends import and sale of fresh and powdered milk from China.
* EUROPEAN UNION: -- The 27-nation bloc banned baby food containing Chinese milk.
* FRANCE: -- Banned all food items containing Chinese milk as precautionary move.
* GABON: -- Introduced ban at same time as Burundi.
* GHANA: -- Food and Drug Board suspended imports of all milk and milk-based products made in China.
* INDIA: -- Banned import of milk and milk products from China for three months.
* INDONESIA: -- Banned imports of China dairy products.
* IVORY COAST: -- Banned imports of milk products from China.
* MALAYSIA: -- Banned all Chinese milk imports, as well as chocolates, sweets and other foods containing milk.
* MALDIVES: -- Banned Chinese milk products to protect its population of 300,000.
* NEPAL: -- Banned all China milk and milk-based food products as a precautionary measure.
* PAPUA NEW GUINEA: -- Banned China-made milk products.
* PHILIPPINES: -- Banned import and sale of milk products from China, pending investigation of possible contamination.
* SINGAPORE: -- Banned the import and sale of milk products from China on Sept 19 after finding melamine in two China-made
                        products -- "Dutch Lady" strawberry flavoured milk, and "Yili Brand" dairy fruit bar yoghurt flavoured ice confection.
                        White Rabbit Creamy Candy pulled from shelves after being found to be contaminated with melamine.
* SOUTH KOREA: -- Banned China-made foods containing powdered milk after imported biscuits test positive for melamine.
* SURINAME: -- Banned milk and dairy products from China, is stepping up inspections on food imported from Southeast Asia.
* TAIWAN: -- All China-made dairy products banned, a milk testing station set up for consumers in Taipei.
* TANZANIA: -- Suspended all China dairy imports, and seized 34 tonnes of China-made milk powder.
* TOGO: -- Suspended import, distribution and sale of all Chinese-origin milk products.
* VIETNAM: -- Banned China milk products. Health officials warned such products may have been sold in remote areas
                     in the impoverished central region.

Edited to add on Monday, September 29, 2008: *MYANMAR and *LAOS (see reply 556, page 38)

Edited to add on Wednesday, October 1, 2008: *UGANDA (see Reply 619, page 42)

51  54 nations where consumer food safety appears to come first pending further investigation and food safety controls  

Edited to add on Friday, October 3, 2008: *URAGUAY

To the overwhelmed US FDA and US Congress: Keep repeating "If it's 'Got Milk?', it needs government testing" until it sinks into the
bureaucratic morass. The American consumer does not want this happening for the second time in the United States."

"China has run out of excuses, assurances and defenses. As a giant exporter of food and other products, its attitude toward consumer safety is a disgrace and a global health threat."

[straybaby]

did these get mentioned?

Puffed Rice Rolls - Butter Corn Flavour
Puffed Rice Rolls- Cheese Flavour

http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:DeQBFrrS2UQJ:www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/541AE049-0F81-4452-859D-B43237D4AA58/22029/CONSUMERADVISORYUPDATEONPRODUCTSDETECTEDTOCONTAINM.pdf+steamed+potato+crackers&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us&client=firefox-a

the ingredient in the potato crackers is whole milk powder

[catbird]

Keep posting those links to recalls in other countries, everyone!  Hopefully the FDA will see them and pay attention.  And you are helping anyone who reads here to know which products could have a problem, even if they haven't been recalled here.

[straybaby]

Reminder!

Check your pet food ingredients. Couple of random searches and I've found skim milk powder and dried cheese powder. If you don't know an ingredient, google it. I checked one calcium ingredient because I tend to think calcium in relation to milk  . . .

[3catkidneyfailure]

Flip flops from Taiwan:
http://www.taipeitimes.com:80/News/editorials/archives/2008/10/02/2003424763

EDITORIAL: Eat at your own risk
Thursday, Oct 02, 2008, Page 8
The Department of Health (DOH) announced yesterday it would use the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method to test for melamine in raw materials used for making creamer, milk powder and baby formula and conduct random checks on 20 percent of all finished versions of these products from high-risk countries.

The DOH deserves credit for employing this method to test for the toxic substance as experts say the LC-MS-MS method is capable of detecting melamine at levels as low as 1 part per billion (ppb) — a much more stringent level than 1 or 2.5 parts per million (ppm) that were previously considered

decided last Tuesday that all vegetable-based protein products must be pulled from store shelves until they could be tested for melamine.

However, less than 12 hours later, the government flip-flopped and said that only selected China-made products needed to be pulled. Furthermore, it eased the standard of acceptable melamine content, adopting the 2.5ppm standard used in Hong Kong.

After coming under fire for its 2.5ppm statement, the DOH changed its mind again, employing the stringent LC-MS-MS method to test for melamine — but only on raw materials for creamer, milk powder and baby formula.

After so many 180-degree turns, the public is understandably confused about what products are safe ...

Second, there was no word about testing other types of finished products. Chinese-made products have already been banned, but products in other countries using Chinese materials have not. That means cookies, candies, soup powder and other products that have been recalled in countries around the globe would remain on store shelves — untested — in Taiwan.

From a Google search for LC-MS-MS melamine:
"[PDF] LC/MS/MS Screen for the Presence of Melamine in swine and poultry ... File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Reference: LC-MS/MS Method for the Analysis of Melamine in Porcine Meat Tissue. (Not for Publication), California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory ...
www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/FERN_CHE_0003.pdf - Similar pages
by B EQUIPMENT - Related articles - All 7 versions"

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/FERN_CHE_0003.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FY2007AnnualReport.htm#PROTECTING%20THE%20HEALTH%20OF%20COMPANION


http://www.aurora-borealis.nl/FINAL%20Melamine_AppNote.pdf
Overview
Recent issues with the determination of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid in
wheat gluten imported from China and the subsequent animal deaths and recall
of millions of pet food products have highlighted the need for both food
manufacturers and regulatory agencies to utilize fast and accurate analytical
techniques to proactively ensure product safety.1
A fast and sensitive LC/MS/MS method was developed for the analysis
of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid utilizing a simple extraction, with a run time of 10
minutes, and with limits of quantitation of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid below
1ug/kg. In addition the method provides an extra degree of confirmation through
the use of Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) ratios

So the US government can't say detection methodologies down to parts per billion don't exist already. The FDA/USDA helped develop them...

[catbird]

Reminder!

Check your pet food ingredients. Couple of random searches and I've found skim milk powder and dried cheese powder. If you don't know an ingredient, google it. I checked one calcium ingredient because I tend to think calcium in relation to milk  . . .

I checked with Fromm, who use cheese in some dry pet foods, and they said that all of it comes from here in WI, where they make it.

[menusux]

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3684398,00.html

Deutsche Welle (Germany) October 1, 2008

Melamine-Tainted Chinese Candies Found in Germany

"A German state consumer protection ministry says Chinese candies tainted with the industrial chemical melamine have been found for sale in an Asian foods store in the southern state of Baden Wuerttemberg.

"A ministry spokesman in the southern German state of Baden Wuerttemberg confirmed on Wednesday, Oct 1 that Chinese-made "White Rabbit" candies, imported through the Netherlands, were tainted with melamine in an escalating toxic milk scandal that has sickened more than 50,000 and killed four babies in China and sparked alarm in a host of countries.

"Both the Chinese producer and the Dutch importer have begun recalling the products."