Police in China have detained 22 people suspected of involvement in introducing the chemical melamine into the supply chain, state media announced today.

Melamine is used to make plastics, fertilizer, and fire retardants and is known to cause kidney stones and can lead to kidney failure.  Melamine-contaminated powdered milk has been blamed for the illnesses of some 54,000 children and the deaths of four infants. (more…)

According to a recent Associated Press report, “cookies from a major Japanese confectioner and Chinese-made baby cereal and crackers” are now included in the ongoing tainted milk scandal originating out of China.  Taiwan also reported three babies with kidney stones in the first cases likely linked to the scandal.  The AP also reports that the Hong Kong government announced it found traces of melamine in baby cereal and crackers made in mainland China:  Heinz DHA+AA vegetable formula baby cereal and Silang House steamed potato wasabi crackers.  Heinz, which is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based company, ordered a recall of the baby cereal.

Melamine is used to make plastics, fertilizer, and fire retardants and is known to cause kidney stones and can lead to kidney failure.  Melamine-contaminated powdered milk has been blamed for the illnesses of some 54,000 children and the deaths of four infants.  “I think we will see some more cases, but not the high number like so far,” he said. “I think the recall and more thorough investigation and testing are now starting to eliminate some of these contaminated products from coming out to the public.” (more…)

QFCO, Inc. of Burlingame, California is recalling White Rabbit Candy because of possible melamine contamination.  The White Rabbit candies were distributed to California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington state through wholesale distributors to retail stores.

The White Rabbit Creamy Candy is sold in eight- or 16-ounce packages; all other flavors, including Assorted—Chocolate, Coconut, and Coffee—Red Bean, Coffee, Corn, Lychee, Mango, and Strawberry are sold in seven-ounce packages.  All White Rabbit candy packaging contains a logo of a white rabbit on the front with the words “White Rabbit.”  The recall was implemented when it was discovered that the candies have been contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine.  Anyone who has purchased White Rabbit Candy is urged to return the candy to the place of purchase for a full refund or discard the candy in the trash.  Consumers with questions may contact the company at (650) 697-6633. (more…)

Energy drinks, including Red Bull and Rockstar, can contain potentially harmful levels of caffeine - as much as 14 cans of Coca-Cola, according to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University.  The researchers involved in the study say the drinks should carry warning labels displaying their caffeine content and possible health risks.

A 12-ounce soft drink generally contains around 35 milligrams of caffeine, while the same size energy drink can contain as much of 500 milligrams.  Unfortunately, most consumers have no idea how much caffeine is contained in any given energy drink.  Most energy drinks are sold as  dietary supplements, and by U.S. law, their makers do not have to submit safety evaluations to federal regulators before the products are marketed.  Unlike soft drinks, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not require that caffeine levels be listed on energy drinks.  They are also not required by the agency to comply with the maximum caffeine content for soda and other beverages.     (more…)

China’s food and product quality agency chief—Li Changjiang—was forced to resign yesterday amid the growing scandal over the country’s tainted milk supply.  Melamine-tainted milk  has sickened over 50,000 infants and killed at least three children, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.  A recent law requires removal of top officials who fail to fulfill their duties or cause severe accidents deemed avoidable.

Li Changjiang is the most senior government official to lose his job in the scandal.  His resignation was announced as that government widened its investigation into how melamine contaminated powdered baby formula and milk products made by some of the country’s biggest dairy companies.  The massive scandal is now China’s worst yet, exceeding last year’s scandals involving tainted pet food ingredients, toothpaste, seafood, and dangerous lead-contaminated toys.  Li was one of the officials in charge of monitoring the nation’s food and product safety and was a strong advocate for increased testing and inspections of Chinese products, defending the quality of Chinese goods and criticizing Western media and American businessmen, saying they exaggerated China’s product-quality problems. (more…)

Splenda, an artificial sweetener, has been tied to a host of ills by researchers at Duke University, The New York Times reported today.  According to an article published on  The Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health website, Splenda contributes to obesity, destroys “good” intestinal bacteria and prevents prescription drugs from being absorbed.

Splenda is a no-calorie sweetener made by McNeil Nutritionals.  Splenda is 600 times as sweet as table sugar), twice as sweet as saccharin, and four times as sweet as aspartame.  Unlike other artificial sweeteners, Splenda remains stable under heat and can be used in baking or in products that require a longer shelf life.  Since its U.S. introduction in 1999, Splenda has overtaken Equal in the $1.5 billion artificial sweetener market, holding a 62% market share. (more…)

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic are warning that cell phone use, including hands-free devices—can affect male fertility.  The information appears in the journal Fertility and Sterility.  Men are warned to ensure that the devices are not kept in proximity to their testicles.

It seems that the men who use hand-free cell phone devices have a tendency to keep the phones in their pants pocket or clipped to the waist belts when the phones are in talk mode.  These practices may be exposing their testicles to damaging radiofrequency electromagnetic waves, explains Ashok Agarwal, PhD, head of the andrology laboratory and the director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Glickman Urologoical and Kidney Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.  “The Bluetooth devices, which many people are using these days because of health or safety concerns, may not be always so safe. There is a downside,” he says. (more…)

Children and teens who use cell phones are five times more likely to get brain cancer, according to a new study.  The new research raises fears that today’s young people may suffer an “epidemic” of the brain cancer in later life.

Concern has been growing about the health risks of cell phone use for some time.  In July, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers issued an internal advisory memo to about 3,000 faculty and staff members advising them to take precautions to avoid the possible cancer risks of cell phones.  It marked the first time that a major U.S. cancer center had ever issued such an advisory.  The memo advised that children - whose brains are still developing - only use cell phones in emergencies. Adults should keep the phone away from the head and use the speakerphone or a wireless headset, the memo said. (more…)

Tainted baby formula from China was sold to other countries and the industrial chemical, melamine, responsible for three infants deaths and 6,000 infant injuries has also been found in ice cream.  The Associated Press is reporting that China’s latest product safety scandal has been expanded to include more foods; state media is reporting some formula produced by companies involved was exported and a nationwide inspection of the 175 Chinese baby milk powder companies revealed 22 had traces of melamine in their products.  Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles, and flame-retardants.

The mounting scandal is yet another embarrassing failure for China’s product safety system, which was overhauled to restore consumer confidence and preserve export markets after recalls and warnings over tainted toothpaste, faulty tires, pharmaceuticals, and other goods.  Now, the Associated Press reports that food distributer, Yashili, exported products to Bangladesh, Yemen, and Myanmar; in Hong Kong, food inspectors ordered a recall after melamine was found in ice cream made by Shanghai Yili AB Foods.   In 2004, fake baby formula killed 12 and sickened 200 in the second major, recent case involving baby formula.  Last year, thousands of American pets fell ill—many died—after eating melamine-tainted food imported from China.  Last October, nearly 70,000 Chinese-made toys were recalled in the United States over excessive lead issues.  In November, the popular toy, Aqua Dots, was tainted with a toxic chemical that metabolized into the date rape drug when swallowed.  And, in February, a Maryland candy distributor pulled Pokemon-brand metal-laden Valentine lollipops. (more…)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Regent Sports Corporation of Hauppauge, New York, announced a recall today of the MacGregor Folding Soccer Goals and Mitre Folding Soccer goals.  About 190,000 units are involved in the recall because the fixed knot flexible openings in the soccer goal net can pose a head and neck entrapment or strangulation hazard to young children.  As a matter-of-fact, Regent Sports and the CPSC have received two reports of head entanglement, including the strangulation death of a 20-month-old child who was found with his arm and neck tangled in the soccer goal net.  Consumers are alerted to immediately stop using the recalled soccer goal nets and return them to Regent Sports to arrange for Eeka free replacement net.

Both of the recalled soccer goals have a foldable white frame with a white net that is attached by Velcro strips.  When placed upright, the MacGregor goal measures six feet wide by three feet high and the Mitre net measures eight feet wide by six feet high. (more…)