Due to some highly publicized incidents a few years ago, melamine is considered a food contaminant which may occur accidentally or intentionally in certain types of food, and long-term consumption of melamine can severely affect the health of consumers.
This study analyzed 6 samples of chicken meat and 7 powder milk samples from commercially available food products, with origin in different geographic regions of Romania and packed in different types of packaging. The purpose was to determine melamine concentration and to observe the influence of origin or type of packaging on the melamine content in the analyzed samples. Such studies are part of the current efforts for improving food analysis and control strategies in alignment with EU policies in terms not only of legislation but also of verification and control actions. The screening of chicken meat and powder milk samples showed the presence of melamine in all samples with values lower than the maximum allowed limit for food of 2.5 ppm, indicating that the level of melamine is not the result of intentional addition of melamine in these food products. Analysis of the various factors influence on the melamine concentration in the analyzed samples showed that melamine content depended on geographical region and type of packaging but larger studies are needed for establishing statistical significant correlations between the geographical region, type of packaging and the shelf life period.
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