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MELAMINE CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCTS - WORLDWIDE EX CHINA
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A ProMED-mail post
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[1] European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessment
[2] Netherlands
[3] South Korea
[4] Germany
[5] China
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[1] European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessment
Date: Thu 25 Sep 2009
Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [edited]
<http://www.efsa.eu.int/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211902098433.htm>
EFSA assesses possible risks related to melamine in composite foods from China
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Following recent events in China, the European Commission asked the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide urgent scientific
advice on health risks for European consumers related to the possible
presence of melamine(1) in composite foods containing milk or milk
products originating from China.
EFSA's scientists today [25 Sep 2008] issued a statement saying that
if adults in Europe were to consume chocolates and biscuits
containing contaminated milk powder, they would not exceed the TDI
(tolerable daily intake) of 0.5 mg/kg body weight, even in worst case
scenarios(2).
Children with a mean consumption of biscuits, milk toffee, and
chocolate made with such milk powder would also not exceed the TDI.
However, in worst-case scenarios with the highest level of
contamination, children with high daily consumption of milk toffee,
chocolate, or biscuits containing high levels of milk powder would
exceed the TDI. Children who consume both such biscuits and chocolate
could potentially exceed the TDI by up to more than 3 times.
High levels of melamine can primarily affect the kidneys. EFSA
applied the TDI of 0.5 mg/kg body weight for melamine in a specific
case of contamination in 2007(3).
The Commission requested EFSA to focus its assessment on biscuits and
chocolate, which contain milk powder as such products can be imported
from China. EFSA developed theoretical exposure scenarios based on
European consumption figures(4) of biscuits and chocolate. In the
absence of available data for contaminated milk powder, EFSA also
used the highest value of melamine, reported in Chinese infant
formula as a basis for worst-case scenarios. EFSA stressed that it is
not known at the moment whether such theoretical high-level exposure
scenarios could occur in Europe.
[1] Melamine is a chemical compound commonly used in the manufacture
of resins, plastics and glues. In Europe, melamine is approved for
manufacturing plastic materials and articles, but the addition of
melamine in food and animal feed is prohibited.
[2] EFSA used the highest value of melamine (approximately 2,500
mg/kg) reported in Chinese infant formula and consumption at the 95th
percentile as a basis for worst case scenarios.
[3] Because there is uncertainty with respect to the time scale for
development of kidney damage, EFSA used the TDI of 0.5 mg/kg body
weight which is protective for exposure over a lifetime in considering
possible effects of exposure to melamine over a relatively short
period, such as might occur with repeated consumption of melamine
contaminated products
[4] Panel evaluated data from the Concise European Consumption
Database, the CAOBISCO industry association; data on levels of
melamine in infant formula reported by the Chinese State
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The EFSA statement on risks for public health due to the presences of
melamine in infant milk and other milk products in China is available
at
<http://www.efsa.eu.int/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211902098495.htm>
The request from the European Commission for urgent scientific and
technical assistance is available at
<http://www.efsa.eu.int/EFSA/ScientificPanels/CONTAM/efsa_locale-1178620753812_contam_requests_mandates.htm>
See also:
EFSA's provisional statement related to melamine and structurally
related compounds such as cyanuric acid in protein-rich ingredients
used for feed and food (2007), available at
<http://www.efsa.eu.int/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178625242716.htm>
Report of the Scientific Committee for Food on certain monomers of
other starting substances to be used in the manufacture of plastic
materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs
(1984), available at
<http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/reports/scf_reports_17.pdf>
For media enquiries, please contact
Ian Palombi <Press@efsa.europa.eu>
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The European Commission's Health & Consumers Directorate-General,
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, Section
Toxicological Safety of the Food Chain, will meet on Fri 10 Oct 2008
to discuss the melamine problem.
<http://ec.europa.eu/food/committees/regulatory/scfcah/toxic/index_en.htm>
- Mod.ARN]
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[2] Netherlands
Date: Tue 30 Sep 2008
Source: Voice of America (VOA) news [edited]
<http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-30-voa51.cfm>
Cookies with melamine found in Netherlands
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
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[3] South Korea
Date: Tue 30 Sep 2008
Source: The Korea Times [edited]
<http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/10/117_31913.html>
Melamine detected in 2 more snacks
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
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[4] Germany
Date: 1 Oct 2008
Source: Ministerium für Ernährung und Ländlichen Raum Baden-Wuerttemberg
[in German, edited]
<http://www.mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/Verbraucherministerium_warnt_vor_chinesischen_Bonbons_White_Rabbit/66191.html>
Sweets containing 152 mg/kg melamine ("White rabbit" brand) have been
detected in Germany.
--
Communicated by: Sabine Zentis
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[5] China
Date: 2 Oct 2008
Source: China.org.cn [edited]
<http://www.china.org.cn/china/national/2008-10/02/content_16561030.htm>
Additional 31 batches of milk powder were found to contain melamine
while most products of this kind on the market were safe, the
country's food safety watchdog said Wednesday [1 Oct 2008] following a
nationwide special check on the chemical.
The State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine said it had tested 265 batches milk powder produced by 154
different companies prior to 14 Sep 2008, and found 31 batches
produced by 20 domestic dairy companies were tainted with melamine.
The new batches being tested were mostly milk powder products for
adults. The melamine content in the Sanlu brand reached 6.196 mg per
kg in its so-called high iron and zinc formula, the highest among all
the samples.
--
Communicated by: Sabine Zentis
[see also:
Melamine contamination, animal feed: RFI 20081001.3097
Infant kidney stones - China (03): melamine 20080917.2915
Infant kidney stones - China (02): Gansu, milk, melamine 20080912.2856
2007
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Fish mortality - South Africa: melamine?, RFI 20070612.1919
Contaminated pet food - China: melamine 20070430.1403
Pet food fatalities, pets - USA, Canada, Mexico (03): melamine 20070330.1099]
........................................tg/mj/jw
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