Re: Does the Trail of Tainted Pet Food Lead to a Fertilizer Plant In China?
- From: PaPaPeng <PaPaPeng@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:17:32 GMT
On 29 Apr 2007 19:13:15 -0700, James <j0069bond@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
For one thing, melamine is considerably more expensive than wheat
gluten. No unscrupulous exporter is going to cut wheat gluten with
melamine to increase his profits."
The China gluten exporter doesn't make the stuff himself and get his
gluten supply from sub contractors. These sub contractors are
hundreds of small businesses who would not have the chemistry
knowledge to spike their false protein content for lab tests. I don't
think there is any lab food testing of gluten in China before they are
exported. If there is no testing what is the point of spending money
and effort to spike the product since there is no profit in doing so.
Gluten itself is a low value product which is why it is used for pet
food (up to 50% content). The American and Canadian buyers don't test
for protein content either which is why everyone is mystified where
the melamine came from.
Gluten is a natural food product and the content proportions all come
within a very narrow band. Just as you cannot make meat "meatier" you
cannot make gluten "protein-ier" as any test results out of the
narrow band of figures will be obvious instantly and therefore
suspect. To balance the proportions to within normal requires
chemistry knowledge, skills and equipment Chinese gluten producers do
not have. In any case to raise the protein rating something else has
to go down such as adding more flour. Again what is the point? Tests
for carbohydrates and sugars will then also spike as send out alarms.
If you read the reports carefully the link with melanine and the link
to China is speculation not a fact. The China link does serve as a
useful distraction away from the pet food manufacturers and gives the
FDA time to investigate.
=========================================================
Go to Wikipedia to get more data about melamine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine
Melamine is an organic base with the chemical formula C3H6N6, with the
IUPAC name 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine. It is only slightly soluble
in water.
(PPP: A simple test will then be to stir up the pet food in water
then see what floats up.]
Melamine is a trimer of cyanamide. Like cyanamide, it is 66% nitrogen
(by mass) and provides fire retardant properties to resin formulas by
releasing nitrogen when burned or charred. Dicyandiamide (or
cyanoguanidine), the dimer of cyanamide, is also used as a fire
retardant
Melamine is a metabolite of cyromazine, a pesticide. It is formed in
the body of mammals who have ingested cyromazine.[2] It was also
reported that cyromazine is converted to melamine in plants.[3][4]
[edit] Synthesis
Melamine is produced from urea, mainly by either of two methods:
catalyzed gas-phase production or high pressure liquid-phase
production.
Melamine is produced from the heating of dicyanodiamide, which is
prepared from the polymerization of cyanamide[citation needed].
Melamine production in China has also been reported as using coal as
raw material.[5]
[edit] Uses
Melamine is used combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin,
a very durable thermosetting plastic, and of melamine foam, a
polymeric cleaning product. The end products include countertops,
fabrics, glues and flame retardants. Melamine is one of major
components in Pigment Yellow 150, a colorant in inks and plastics.
Melamine is also used to make fertilizers.
[edit] Regulation
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides a test method for analyzing
cyromazine and melamine in animal tissues in its Chemistry Laboratory
Guidebook which "contains test methods used by FSIS Laboratories to
support the Agency's inspection program, ensuring that meat, poultry,
and egg products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled."[6][7] In
1999, in a proposed rule published in the Federal Register regarding
cyromazine residue, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) proposed "remov[ing] melamine, a metabolite of cyromazine from
the tolerance expression since it is no longer considered a residue of
concern."[8]
[edit] Toxicity
Animal studies have shown that ingestion of melamine may lead to
kidney stones, cancer or reproductive damage.[9][10][11][12]
This section is related to a current event.
For the main article on the event, see 2007 pet food crisis.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
In 2007 a pet food recall was initiated by Menu Foods and other pet
food manufacturers who had found their products had been contaminated
and caused serious illnesses or deaths in some of the animals that had
eaten them[13][14][15]. On 30 March 2007, the US Food and Drug
Administration reported finding white granular melamine in the pet
food, in samples of white granular wheat gluten imported from a single
source in China, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology [16] as well as in
crystalline form in the kidneys and in urine of affected animals[17].
The practice of adding melamine scrap to animal feed is reported to be
widespread in China in order to give the appearance of increased
protein content in animal feed.[5] The presence of melamine has not
been conclusively linked to the deaths of animals, as this chemical
was previously thought to be relatively non-toxic at low doses. The
FDA has blocked importation of wheat gluten from the Chinese supplier
(Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology), pending completion of its
investigation. On April 24, 2007, the FDA announced it will expand its
investigation to test for ingredients imported for human consumption,
including wheat gluten, corn gluten, cornmeal, rice bran and rice
protein[18]
Melamine when heated causes the loss of nitrogen, leaving guanidine, a
muscle stimulant used as a pharmaceutical, and ammonia, a poison.[19]
The reported symptoms of the animals conform to those of ammonia
poisoning since melamine may metabolize into ammonia by the body.[20]
Some researchers have focused on the role of other metabolic
by-products of melamine in causing renal failure. On April 19
researchers announced that a "spoke-like crystal" had been found in
contaminated rice protein concentrate and the tissues and urine of
affected animals. The crystal serves as a biomarker for contamination
and is roughly 30% melamine. The remainder has been identified as
cyanuric acid, amilorine and amiloride by researchers at the
University of Guelph, in Ontario and Cornell University's College of
Veterinary Medicine. The three chemicals are metabolites of melamine,
which researchers hypothesized were formed as the animals metabolized
the melamine. Other researchers at Michigan State University have
confirmed amilorine and amiloride but not the cyanuric acid. At least
one researcher believes that cyanuric acid, commonly used in pool
chlorination, is the most likely chemical in the contaminated products
causing renal failure in the affected animals, although tests in dogs
and rats have shown that cyanuric acid is safe.[21] Richard Goldstein
of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine hypothesized
that the crystallization of melamine and cyanuric acid might cause
cyanuric acid to remain in the kidneys for longer periods of time than
when cyanuric acid in pool water is accidentally swallowed by people,
explaining its apparent increased toxicity in this case. While it
remains possible that cyanuric acid was added as a separate
contaminant, Goldstein said that it was likely that it was the result
of bacterial metabolism of melamine.[22] Cyanuric acid is a known
intermediate byproduct of bacterial metabolism of melamine.[23]
[edit] Widespread use in Chinese feed products
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for
expansion.
This section is related to a current event.
For the main article on the event, see 2007 pet food crisis.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
On April 30, 2007, The New York Times reported that the addition of
melamine into fish and livestock feed to give the false appearance of
a higher level of protein was an "open secret" in many parts of
China.[5]
Shandong Mingshui Great Chemical Group, the company reported by the
New York Times as producing melamine from coal, produces and sells
both urea and melamine.[24]
Melamine production in China has increased greatly in recent years
leading to surplus availability.[25]
In the United States Geological Survey 2004 Minerals Survey Yearbook,
in a report on worldwide nitrogen production, the author stated that
"China continued to plan and construct new ammonia and urea plants
using coal gasification technology."[
.
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