Traces of Melamine Found in U.S. Infant Formula

The toxic industrial chemical melamine, which has been blamed for four deaths and 50,000 injuries in China since it was found in infant formula and other products in that country, has now turned up in a leading American brand of infant formula, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Melamine is an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of can liners, flame retardant, cleaning products, fertilizers, and pesticides. Officials have said Chinese manufacturers may have intentionally added the chemical to infant formula and other products because the chemical can mimic protein and defeat food quality-control testing.

American health officials caution that the levels of melamine detected in a top-selling brand of infant formula sold here are in the trace category, much lower than those seen in China, and fall below the levels that are deemed safe. Officials have not disclosed the name of the company that made the contaminated formula.

The FDA has increased its inspections of Asian markets and is impounding some food imports from China to make sure that contaminated infant formula, teas, candies, and other products that have been found to contain melamine do not make it into American homes.

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