Melamine Containers & Food Safety

The Facts

Melamine is a chemical compound made up of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen that is used primarily in the manufacture of flame-retardant and heat-resistant plastics.

Rugged and durable, melamine has long been prized for the sturdy, inexpensive housewares that can be made with it. Although more prevalent in the 1950s, melamine tableware has remained popular to this day---especially in products for kids. In 2007, it gained international notoriety after it was found in pet food manufactured in the United States that sickened a large number of dogs and cats. In 2008, the chemical's infamy grew when thousands of Chinese babies were hospitalized after eating melamine-laced baby formula, causing widespread concern over the safety of melamine.

Melamine in combination with cyanuric acid has been found to cause crystalline growths to form in the kidneys of dogs, cats and other domestic animals after consumption. That same combination was behind the deaths and hospitalizations of the babies who had consumed the tainted formula.

Melamine plastics are not manufactured with cyanuric acid. They do, however, contain formaldehyde. Consumption of large amounts of formaldehyde has been shown to result in several negative health effects ranging from severe abdominal pain to death.

While formaldehyde used in the manufacture of melamine containers can leach into the food they contain, it is unclear whether small doses pose a health threat to humans. Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety has concluded that melamine tableware is safe when used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

However, the World Health Organization and the National Toxicity Program have both advised that their research is incomplete, and more investigation is required to fully determine melamine exposure safety. The FDA says that while melamine exposure is safe for the general population, there is no level safe for infant consumption.

While research is ongoing, we can take simple precautions when using melamine containers. Use them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Don't microwave foods in them, or heat them on your stovetop or in your oven. Don't scrub them with harsh abrasives, and discard them when they become scratched, scuffed or otherwise compromised. Don't serve acidic foods in them. Above all, use common sense.