Coffee Thursdays
Melamine and me
A few weeks ago I was in search for an alternative to whole milk that I was using with my wheat cereals every morning; I gazed upon the supermarket dairy section and an attractive packaging caught my eye with a promise of high protein content and more Calcium and Vitamin D. Being gullible and nudging on the cheap price, I bought 2 liters of Jolly Cow Slender Milk.
Consumed the tasteless milk, I justified that because of its healthy components, the taste is compromised. With only a few days later, I doubted the news from China as it shocked the world with 4 infants' death and 53,000 reportedly ill having been fed with milk powder contaminated of the industrial product Melamine. Moreover, on local TV news, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed traces of Melamine were found in Jolly Cow Slender High-Calcium Low-Fat Milk, together with 2 other China milk brands that were reported positive of Melamine. Consequently, I am left disturbed.
What is Melamine? Melamine is an organic substance combined with formaldehyde to produce resin: a synthetic product which is fire resistant and heat tolerant. Known for its durability, the compound is used in plastic wares, laminates and utensils. Some fire retardants, fertilizers and dyes also contain Melamine. With this, it baffles me why is it found on milk? It is speculated that Melamine is added to mask low nutrient levels in diluted milk and acts as extender.
Furthermore, the current controversy has shown reports that consuming products tainted with Melamine can cause renal damage and kidney stones. In China, babies drank the contaminated milk as their sole source of nutrition, thus leading to a handful deaths. Health officials argue the harm caused by Melamine is related to a person's weight and amount utilized, it is far less harmful to older children and not likely to be dangerous for adults.
This moment I want to put things in perspective: As a consumer, I felt betrayed by these manufacturers as they selfishly create harm to buyers. Regardless of crushing inflation and economic crisis, there is no valid excuse of adulteration of food especially in this way. When food becomes an inestimable commodity nowadays, purchasers tend to resort to budget recourse and consider options; on the other hand we are susceptible to products which are of available, inexpensive and eventually of poor quality. This situation becomes an eye opener of the present where everything boils down to costs, sometimes a presumed choice leaves us no choice at all in terms of safety and assurance of a product's worth. I do not support branded commercialism and nevertheless, I can't understand the fact that why these milk companies ever think of Melamine and not even considering the ill effects (short and long term) to its consumers. Is the quest for market business far greater than the importance and value of life?
Now, this makes me more cautious of things I eat or buy. I truly advocate refraining from China food products and appealing to everyone to stop selling these goods until properly identified, approved and reached safety standards. No matter, how tempting the low cost that answers our food budget needs, lessons have learned it poses more harm than good.
The irony of my story is, instead of being meticulous on achieving a healthy diet I ended up with the concerns of long term Melamine effects simply because I considered a price difference in milk brands. Somehow, this experience proves a point: cheap food products remain an option, but sadly most of the time not for the better.
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