Spinning Facts

Revised figures report that not 50,000 but 300,000 young children have fallen ill, and six infants have died in China from powdered milk used as baby formula tainted with melamine. While most of the children were treated as outpatients for small kidney stones in their urinary systems, as of last week, there were still 861 babies being treated in hospitals for kidney problems caused by the milk, down from 1,041 reported the week before.

Although the tainted milk was first reported in September, the Chinese government has said that Shijiazhuang Sanlu Group Co., knew in 2007 that its products were tainted and they and local officials tried to cover it up.

Melamine is the same chemical that sickened and killed so many pets in the United States when it was used as an ingredient in dog food.

Used in manufacturing plastics, melamine is rich in nitrogen. This shows up as protein when the food product is tested. Usually not harmful in small amounts, it can cause kidney stones that may lead to kidney failure.

Melamine has also been found in liquid milk, yogurt and chocolates. The possibility that it has been added to animal feed was raised when the chemical was found in eggs.

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