It was not so long ago that melamine scandals became news, highlighting that the chemical compound typically used in plastics, insulation, and other industrial applications, was being added to food products to increase their apparent protein content. Food manufacturers were ‘tricking’ the tests that measure foods’ protein levels for economic gain.
Melamine, when combined with related compound cyanuric acid, absorbs into the bloodstream and concentrates in the kidneys, forming crystalized tubules that damage renal cells and ultimately cause kidney failure and death.
Children and animals became ill from consuming foods that were illegally adulterated with melamine, prompting regulatory agencies to monitor human and animal food products for the presence of these compounds. SCIEX solutions for melamine and cyanuric acid analysis enable labs to monitor these chemicals, even at very low levels in foods, with minimal sample preparation and high reproducibility.