What is Melamine and Its adverse effects on the health of humans

Melamine is an organic base chemical most commonly found in the form of white crystals rich in nitrogen.Melamine is widely used in plastics, adhesives, countertops, dishware, whiteboards.

In China, where adulteration has occurred, water has been added to raw milk to increase its volume. As a result of this dilution the milk has a lower protein concentration. Companies using the milk for further production (e.g. of powdered infant formula) normally check the protein level through a test measuring nitrogen content. The addition of melamine increases the nitrogen content of the milk and therefore its apparent protein content.

Addition of melamine into food is not approved by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius (food standard commission), or by any national authorities.

In 2008, at least four babies in China died and around 100,000 became sick after consuming powdered milk baby food laced with melamine.

the health effects of melamine consumptions in humans:-

While there are no direct human studies on the effect of melamine data from animal studies can be used to predict adverse health effects. Melamine alone causes bladder stones in animal tests. When combined with cyanuric acid, which may also be present in melamine powder, melamine can form crystals that can give rise to kidney stones.

These small crystals can also block the small tubes in the kidney potentially stopping the production of urine, causing kidney failure and, in some cases, death. Melamine has also been shown to have carcinogenic effects in animals in certain circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on carcinogenic risk in humans.

the symptoms and signs of melamine poisoning:-

Irritability, blood in urine, little or no urine, signs of kidney infection, high blood pressure.

Recently,IISC bangalore created new detection method in finding the melamine in the milk powder. Leaf extract of a commonly seen weed parthenium, along with silver nitrate, is used for detecting the presence of melamine in milk.

The presence of melamine in milk can be detected at room temperature within a few seconds through a change in colour. Prior to melamine detection, the milk is processed to remove fat and proteins as they tend to interfere with detection. While most researchers had used already prepared silver nanoparticles for melamine detection, the IISc team added silver nitrate and the leaf extract in a particular ratio and at a particular pH to the preprocessed milk to synthesise silver nanoparticles. “If melamine is present then it interferes with the synthesis and there is abrupt formation of nanoparticles leading to colour change,”