[AuntB]

Do they put this melamine junk in everything??

[nickcarraway]

What do they care?

[wolfpat]

Melamine isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I used to work for a company that fused melamine paper to particleboard (they made the particleboard too). It allowed the boards to be any color, and the colors were striking. If you have any budget furniture, you might have some in your house.

[The_Reader_David]

No, just things where they want to fake higher protein content.

I suspect the whole problem could be fixed by a change in the way China regulates food production that would not require heavy-handed enforcement.

The only reason an unscrupulous producer has for adulterating food products with melamine is to inflate the protein content on some coarse assay in which the C_3N_3(NH_2)_3 molecule tests as being protein. If the Chinese either used a finer assay that would distinguish the molecule from actual amino acids; or went to a model where the protein content of foods was measure by formulation, so that milk counted for as much protein as milk actually contains; or even abolished the protein assay entirely, there would be no motive to mix melamine in food products.

[Calpernia]

It is in their food chain. The melamine is used in their fields like a rat poison.

[mysterio]

Melamine is cheap and makes it look like the product contains more protein than it really does. That way they can water down the milk undetected.

Don't worry though. Even though it kills you, it's ten cents cheaper!

[cake_crumb]

"Do they put this melamine junk in everything??"

Must be...they probably even substitute it for MSG.