Challenges About Determining The Amount Of Melamine In Dairy Products

Melamine (IUPAC= 2,4,6-triamine-1,3,5-triazine); C3 H6 N6 ; pKa = 5.1; MW= 126.12 g/mol; Fig 1) is a synthetic compound widely used in the manufacture of resins and plastics to increase thermal resistance, as well it is applied in manufacture of flame retardants, fertilizer, coatings, laminates, adhesives, glues and commercial filters [1-3]. For the first time in 2008, the world was “appalled” by the news that Chinese babies have developed kidney stones caused by consumption of adulterated milk powder. The report of Food Safety Standards Authority of Chine shows that the samples of milk powder contained Melamine [4-5]. Certainly, trace amounts of melamine can be found in foods due to migration from packing walls [6]. However, due to the high nitrogen content (ca. 66% w/w) and low cost, melamine has been becoming a common adulterant of dairy products whose aim is to increase the apparent protein content [1,2]. Moreover, this adulteration is not easily identified in routine analysis because the non-protein nitrogen cannot be assayed by usual procedures for protein determination, such as Kjeldahl and Dumas [3]. Thus, new methodologies have been developed considering the increasing occurrence of melamine in milk products