Melamine
Melamine is a synthetic chemical used in a variety of industrial applications including the production of resins and foams, cleaning products, fertilizers and pesticides. It is not naturally occurring and is not allowed to be added to food.
Melamine is the same chemical that was implicated in the pet food recall in 2007. The issue of melamine presence in Chinese dairy products is considered a new and separate issue from the pet food recall.
Canada does not allow melamine to be used as a food ingredient. However, very low levels of melamine could be found in food due to its industrial uses, such as from pesticides and fertilizers. The levels of melamine from these sources would not represent a human Health Risk.
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Additional Resources
Related Resources
- July 06, 2010 -New guidance to help improve food safety provided by UN food standards commission
- For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website