The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

Melamine is an organic base - used in a scientific sense. Its end products are, among other things, fabrics, glues, flame retardants (its nitrogen - 66 percent by mass - if mixed with resins has fire retardant properties), and pesticides. Plants absorb melamine through pesticides and it (melamine) eventually becomes part of human food chain and animal feed, for instance. In addition, the role of for example: high profit motives; criminal intentions, including inter alia those relating to bio-terrorism; insufficient knowledge and understanding in pertinent areas; and poor governance - at local, global and other levels - in making melamine, in varying degrees though, part of human food chain and animal feed, can not be ruled out or underestimated or both in the present day universe.

China has been using melamine as an agricultural pesticide for a long time. It recently witnessed inter alia thousands of sick children (80 percent are 2 years old) due to reasons that are apparently connected with, and ancillary to, for example consumption of milk laden with melamine. Further, melamine - that was found in the Chinese pet food exported to the US last year (2007) - believed to have contributed to subsequent deaths of many cats and dogs in the country.

Taking into cognizance contemporary beliefs and realities concerning melamine, it now appears the cause, effect and causality of milk powder formula tainted with melamine is, at present, both within and beyond say, knowledge and understanding of humans in relevant areas - at medical, non-medical and other levels. No direct study has reportedly been undertaken so far on effects of melamine on humans. On the other hand, studies on animals indicate formation of bladder stones on account of consumption of melamine. Melamine in combination with cyanuric acid forms crystals that can lead to kidney stones.

It should be noted here - there exist at present certain special remarks on toxic effects of melamine on humans when they (meaning, humans) come in contact with it. Those remarks reflect on inter alia: skin irritation; eye irritation; inhalation (for example, irritation of respiratory tract); and ingestion (for example, irritation of digestive tract with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). Further, special remarks on chronic effects of melamine on humans - based on animal data - reflect on inter alia: adverse reproductive effects - fertility, fetotoxicity, etc.

As per US Food and Drug Administration, an amount - up to 2.5 parts per million (ppm) - of melamine is safe for adults. The administration has not yet been able to set a standard for children. Hong Kong has recently put caps on melamine in food - no more than 2.5 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) for adults and no more than 01 mg per kg for children under 3 and pregnant plus lactating mothers.

In light of above, it can be said, more research outcomes, more development outcomes and more engineering outcomes in areas of melamine consumption than those at present would be required for world people: to establish human safety levels in terms of consumption of melamine; to identify melamine related diseases, symptoms and interrelationships; to create and maintain affordable and accessible screening opportunities for melamine affected people; to build and manage melamine related early warning mechanism; to develop new antidotes or strengthen existing antidotes or both in pertinent areas; to handle, in a proactive, reactive, and other fashion, melamine driven intra-generational and inter-generational complications, consequences and ramifications in the domain of living beings - plants, animals, humans, etc.; to mention a few; all in a more scientific, accurate, convincing, acceptable and result-oriented fashion than that at present.

A brief analysis of melamine matters discussed and not discussed in the article in the context of for example, test results reportedly confirming presence or no-presence of melamine in certain brands of powdered milk in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world plus melamine related present day situation in Bangladesh - would reveal several things. A few of them have been presented below:

1. The quality of samples of powdered milk that has so far been used for testing purposes is not, among other things, immune to time, space and other variables. Because there exist possibilities of contamination - direct or indirect or otherwise, whether deliberate or not - at several stages of the product's (meaning powdered milk) life cycle: procurement; quality control; transportation; production; packing; storage; and reprocessing - if applicable; to mention a few. It should be noted here the term product refers to inter alia: raw materials for the product; the finished product; and the product-in-use by end users.

2. The quality of testing processes including skills and equipment is, in a sense, directly and indirectly proportional to the quality of tests, test results and interpretations of test results. It implies inter alia test results on levels of contamination can vary from place to place on account of above and other relationships in pertinent areas. In other words, the reported gap between say, in-country and ex-country test results is not an unusual matter.

3. The amount of melamine found in eight popular brands of powdered milk in Bangladesh - ranging from 0.45 mg/gm to 0.04 mg/gm, as per the result announced recently by Dhaka University - is a matter of concern for concerned Bangladeshis and others against the backdrop of for example, standards discussed in the article. But it should be noted here: consequences and ramifications of melamine in relation to human systems are dependent on inter alia behaviors of individual immune systems.

Bangladeshis do not know for sure since when they have started consuming melamine in the form of powered milk or otherwise, how long they have been consuming, and at what costs - in terms of say, acute kidney failures, 'blood and liver related complications'.

4. Liquid milk and milk (powdered or not) products consumed by Bangladeshis and others have not so far been tested for melamine or the outcome of tests has not yet been made public.

5. The people of Bangladesh and others are still waiting for a clear health advisory on the matter from the army-supported government and concerned others.

6. The criminal dimension of melamine contamination has not apparently been taken seriously - so far - by the army-supported government and concerned others.

7. Intra and inter-governmental coordination and cooperation in terms of say, remedying the situation arising out of and in the course of consumption of powdered milk tainted with melamine in Bangladesh appear to be poor and somewhat direction less at this point in time. Further, the country is yet to deal with in-country and ex-country suppliers (for example) of powdered milk tainted with melamine - legally, diplomatically, public health-wise, and financially - in terms of compensation, etc. In that respect, organizations such as: WTO; WHO; UNICEF; Center for Disease Control (USA); US Food and Drug Administration; SAARC; INTERPOL; ILO; and concerned others; could be of some help to Bangladesh, Bangladeshis and others.

The last word: anti-melamine measures (in terms of living systems) for Bangladesh - for example and as appropriate:

a quick completion of melamine tests in respect of all types and brands of imported and local milk should be ensured and reliable test results are shared formally with people of Bangladesh and others by the army-supported government and concerned others at the soonest - for their (meaning Bangladeshis and others) informed decision and action in pertinent areas;

II. all risky brands should be withdrawn from the market based on test results;

III. supply of melamine free milk should be increased for all children at least under 6 - whether or not breast-fed, as applicable;

IV. selling of milk products should be stopped till the availability of test results pertaining to those products and action-s taken by competent authorities based on those results;

V. an acceptable improvement in the overall supply situation of melamine free milk in the country within the shortest possible time and at minimal costs;

VI. an effective and efficient regime for monitoring and controlling (monitoring is part of controlling, though) the use of melamine throughout Bangladesh. A more productive implementation of for example, the country's labor laws pertaining to safety (say, melamine related safety) of people at work - than that at present;

VII. intensification of for example, security (Police, BDR) intelligence, BSTI, laboratory (as applicable), anti-corruption and NBR activities and activities of judiciary in pertinent areas for detecting, arresting, prosecuting, punishing or dealing otherwise with people associated with the business of contamination, per se;

mobilization of people's support and political will in favor of an anti-melamine (I mean in terms of living systems) movement in the country; and

IX. a result-oriented handling of factors mentioned vide sections 1 to 7 - as appropriate.

Let us work collectively and in a meaningful manner.