-->
Drop Down MenusCSS Drop Down MenuPure CSS Dropdown Menu

Monday, August 22, 2011

Beware of Tableware Made from Melamine

Some of the food menu, there are even more delicious if eaten while still in hot conditions. Only in serving hot meals to note the container is used to place hot food because the temperature of these foods can trigger the components of the building blocks of biodegradable containers and then migrate into and mixed into food additives has become an "unintentional". If these materials are toxic to migrate, it could threaten our health.
If we prefer to serve hot food or food containers made from sour to use melamine, melamine be sure if it really melamine categorized as food grade melamine that is used if false (not food grade) toxic migration process as mentioned above, can occur. Since introduced in Indonesia around 1970 made of melamine cutlery enough to attract consumers, especially moms. This was due to equipment from melamine has many advantages compared with cutlery made from ceramic, glass, or aluminum. Melamine tableware from quite mild, not easily broken, fire resistant, and the price is relatively cheaper than eating utensils from other materials. Therefore, do not be surprised if the product is its use is widespread melamine, tableware from infants to large banquet tableware. Melamine (C3H6N6) is a compound result of a merger of formaldehyde or symbolized (a derivative of ammonium tiosianant) with an amine so that they call into melamine. The starting compounds synthesized by Liebig in "1834. During its development in 1907 a Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baeckeland managed to find a synthesis of the first plastic (bakelite) which became the forerunner of further development of melamine. Melamine is a polymer, namely the compounds (polymerization) between monomers of formaldehyde with phenol. If the two monomers are joined, toxic properties of formaldehyde will be lost because it has been merged into the compound melamine. In other words, if the compound is complete, the resulting melamine is not toxic. However, if the two monomer compounds took place is not perfect, there are some who do not bersenyawa formaldehyde monomer into a residue trapped in melamine. Conditions of heat, acid, UV exposure, friction, or scour the surface of the melamine beresidu allow the release of formaldehyde to form monomers and then migrate to poison food in the container. Although melamine is resistant to the temperature range 120°C to 30°C below zero, but because of melamine absorb heat and can not stand being exposed to the heat is too high for a prolonged period, irrespective of the monomer can formaldehidnya melamine compound and threatening the health if consumed. Formaldehyde or formalin is a disinfectant which are often used as a preservative corpse, which can enter the body through the oral route, respiratory tract and body fluids. Formaldehyde that enters the body can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, urine mixed blood, burning, itching, dizziness and can disrupt cell function (carcinogens) that lead to death. England set a maximum exposure of formaldehyde is 2 ppm or 2 mg / l. Simple test we can do to ensure the security of our melamine equipment that is with burned or boiled test.
  • Burned the end of melamine with a candle for 20 seconds, if the smell of formaldehyde stung the typical piercing, it means that the equipment does not meet food grade. Conversely, if melamine is not issued just burnt smell anything, can be said to meet food grade melamine.
  • Boiled for 30 minutes to an hour. Melamine false twisting will change shape even fragile, and steam boiled any cause sore eyes, coughing, and nausea, whereas original melamine will stand until the water temperature of 100°C.
But the authenticity of melamine can not be seen with the naked eye enough so be careful choosing your dish container .*** [Y. ZAKIAH A | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 18082011]
Kindly Bookmark and Share it: