China’s dairy products contain melamine

China have shocked the world because current research has found that many of its dairy product contain melamine. Melamine is rich in nitrogen, and relatively cheap. Adding it to sub-standard or watered-down milk makes the milk’s protein level appear higher. Standard quality tests estimate protein levels by measuring nitrogen content. Melamine was linked to the deaths of cats and dogs in the United States last year after it was added to wheat gluten and other pet food ingredients exported from China, in another attempt to boost the products’ apparent protein content. Little scientific information exists about the compound’s effects on humans. However, even if victims who have developed have kidney stones due to tainted milk consumption have these removed, the melamine could crystallize in small kidney tubes and block connecting ducts, resulting in kidney damage or even renal failure, health experts fear.

So far four infants have died in China, and about 13,000 more have been hospitalized after drinking the contaminated milk. Four Hong Kong children have also become sick after consuming toxic Chinese milk powder. More than 80 percent of the sick are under two years old. Young babies that depend solely on milk are most vulnerable.More than 20 mostly Asian and African countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Britain, Brunei, Burundi, Canada, China, France, Gabon, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Vietnam, and Yemen are affected. These countries have all pulled products off shelves, banned China dairy imports, or stepped up their tests.

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