The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Testing of presence of melamine and cyanuric acid in milk and milk products is possible through LC/MS/MS machine speedily and accurately.

"The machine has the capability to simultaneously determine the existence of the melamine and cyanuric acid in food, particularly in milk and milk products at 1ppb (Parts Per Billion) level, quality of which is international standard and recognised," claimed an engineer.

Engineer Rashed Chowdhury, Technical Director of Science Solution, Bangladesh Representative of Applied Bio-System, an American Company, told The New Nation that the LC/MS/MS system is most dependable and internationally recognised analytical method for testing the presence of melamine and cyanuric acid in food. He mentioned that such a machine has been installed with the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) under Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) in the city through Bangladesh Scientific and Chemical Mart, a sister-concern of Scientific Solution Private Limited.

Rashed Chowdhury said the LC/MS/MS is product of Applied Bio-System, the global leader in mass spectrometry, for testing harmful substances in food and water as pesticide, harmful colour, micro toxin, and harmful anti-biotic.

Emphasising the need for determination of presence of melamine and cyanuric acid simultaneously, Rashed Chowdhury said, "Melamine is a widely used industrial raw material for kitchen ware and many other household articles, safe to human life, but in conjugation with cyanuric acid (found in food, milk, etc) a potentially harmful substance is formed, that causes rental failure leading to even death."

He said a section of unscrupulous industrialists, particularly in China, add melamine in milk to boost artificial protein value of milk and milk products.

Rashed Chowdhury said as part of the social corporate responsibility, they want to cooperate with the BSTI to determine the presence of melamine and cyanuric acid within the shortest possible time through using the machine.

He said, on behalf of Bangladesh Scientific and Chemical Mart, a letter has been submitted to the Director General of the BSTI in this regard on Tuesday.

It may be mentioned that the government on Sunday banned three brands of powdered milk exported by Chinese companies.

The decision came in the wake of sickening of over 6,000 children drinking certain brands of Chinese milk. Five of them died and 158 are suffering acute kidney failure. The presence of melamine was blamed for the milk contamination.

Meanwhile, the BSTI officials said they would need at least one week to detect if there was toxic element in the milk they collected for sample taste.