Melamine Limit Lowered in Baby Formula

According to Infection Control Today, the United Nation’s food standards body, Codex Alimentarius Commission, set new regulations to protect consumer’s health worldwide. Among these regulations was the maximum level of melamine permitted in liquid milk formula for babies. Melamine is safe for its normal use, but food products with high concentrations can be lethal.

In the past, melamine has been used illegally to increase protein contents in various foods including infant formula and milk powder. Milk containing too much melamine has resulted in death or serious illness for infants who consume it.

In 2010, the maximum level of melamine, set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, was 1 mg/kg for powered infant formula and 2.5 mg/kg for other foods. The new regulation lowers the maximum melamine limit to 0.15 mg/kg for liquid infant formula. The new maximum limit of melamine will help governments protect consumers from ingesting dangerous levels of the chemical. Officials can determine whether detected melamine is from inevitable contamination or from purposeful adulteration.

 “Although the FDA has set legal limits of melamine in food products, it is a lethal chemical if the exceeded amount is consumed,” states Shannon Kauffman, EMSL’s Food Chemistry Lab Manager. “EMSL Analytical’s food chemistry laboratory provides quality testing for melamine detection in food, agricultural products, raw materials, and ingredients.”

For more information about EMSL’s food testing division, please contact EMSL at 800-220-3675, info@EMSL.com , or visit www.EMSL.com or www.foodtestinglab.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-800-220-3675

jfrasca@emsl.com