Safety of Melamine Dishware

This post is a response to the questions raised in class about the safety of plastic dishware, especially the variety sold at stores like Target. Much of this dishware is a hard plastic, labeled “melamine” on the bottom. Melamine was involved in a 2007 pet food recall, when pets became sick from eating pet food contaminated with melamine. It was also the center of a scandal in China, when it was discovered that infant formula had been laced with melamine to make the protein content appear higher. This article (http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/melamine_in_formula_in_candy_in_kids_dishes/) states that melamine itself is not toxic, but causes kidney problems when combined with cyanuric acid. Although trace amounts of melamine in food are not thought to be dangerous to adults (in amounts below 0.63 mg per kg body weight per day), the FDA dictates that no level of melamine is safe for infant formula. As for melamine dishware, there have been studies that reported leaching of the material, especially into warm or acidic food. Most of the dishware I have seen is not microwave safe because the high temperature of the microwave or oven could melt the material and cause it to leach into food. Also, the material itself is actually a polymer of melamine and formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. Despite these facts, the consensus seems to be that as long as it is used properly, melamine dishware is generally safe because trace amounts would not exceed the exposure level that adults can withstand.