Our Acceptable Level of Poison

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it recommendations for daily tolerable levels for Melamine. Some of you may be saying, “that’s nice!…but so what!” You might have missed it, because the news in October were centered around the election and the economy, but there was a little problem with findingMelamine in the milk supply in China.

Melamine is an industrial chemical that is great for creating durable plastic and cleaning products, but not so great for the human body. In us, it has the potential to cause cancer, reproductive damage, kidney stones, and other kidney diseases.

I know I feel much better that WHO has issued that the tolerable levels have been set at 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. From the above article, I feel completely reassured, as the experts have said:

Melamine is a contaminant that should not be in food. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable.

My question, which I think seems to be legitimate, is why? Shouldn’t the acceptable be …gee, I don’t know, let me pick a number….ZERO?! As some may be sitting there thinking that this is ok because this happened “over there” and doesn’t affect us. I say think again. Trace amounts of melamine have been found in U.S. baby formula.

What are your thoughts on these newly deemed acceptable levels to Melamine? Write a post and let me know.