Melamine-Related Food Recall: Instant Coffees and Nissin Cha Cha Dessert

Melamine is a synthetic compound that is traditionally used to make plastics and laminates.

In 2007, melamine was suspected by the U.S. FDA to have tainted pet food, and in September 2008, almost 54,000 infants in China became ill after ingesting melamine that was found in baby formula and milk products; four infant deaths have also been reported.

Authorities have attributed the use of melamine in milk and milk-based products from China to melamine's ability to make watered-down products appear to have "normal" protein levels, making nutrient-deficient foods appear to be more nutrient-rich than they really are.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people not to eat or drink the following products:

* Mr. Brown Instant Coffee 3-in-1 Mandheling Blend Coffee with

UPC 4 710085 122523

* Mr. Brown Instant Coffee 3-in-1 Blue Mountain Blend Coffee with

UPC 4 710085 200597

* Mr. Brown Instant Coffee 3-in-1 Arabica Coffee with

UPC 4 710085 122509

These products have expiration dates of April 9, 2010 to September 12, 2010, inclusive and were sold in 450-gram packages containing thirty 15-gram bags with distribution in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.

These products are being voluntarily recalled by the products' manufacturer due to concern about milk and milk-derived products from China being tainted with melamine.

* Nissin Cha Cha Dessert made with Yili Pure Milk (UPC 4 897878 550005) is also being recalled due to melamine contamination.

Nissan Cha Cha Dessert is sold in a 440-gram package containing two 220-gram packs

Note from Ben Kim: I encourage our readers to keep an eye on local media coverage of melamine-related food recalls, as our global food distribution system makes it possible for tainted products to be just about anywhere. On September 29, 2008, it was reported that Cadbury recalled melamine-tainted chocolate products that were distributed throughout Asia.

The bottom line is this: it's best to avoid all packaged food products that include "milk" or "milk ingredients" in their list of ingredients. Even when not tainted with melamine, pasteurized dairy is not a healthy food choice for human beings.