Update: Melamine in the Food Chain

A least one North American manufacturer of a pet food ingredient is using melamine in their product. Melamine is a plastic and is not edible but has been used by Chinese manufacturers to jack the apparent protein content of their grain products. Chronic ingestion of melamine can cause kidney and bladder stones lading to bladder cancer. It was found to be recombining with another toxic ingredient,which is a pool additive, cyanuric acid, also being added for the same reason:unscrupulous profit, with no regard to safety. Together, the 2 compounds become toxic synergistically, causing kidney failure in some animals including cats and dogs, through the formation of crystalline structures in the kidneys.



two forms of cyanuric acid



melamine







melamine and cyanuric acid molecules forming bonds







If it is being used by one North American plant, are they the only one? Time will tell, but I do wonder where else the plastic will show up next.