USDA Tests Food Products for Melamine

The US Department of Agriculture has begun testing certain baby foods, pizza, sausages and other processed meats produced domestically amid concerns of melamine contamination owing to the use of imported ingredients, including dairy and soy-based products from China.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is conducting the tests, said it would collect certain types of products at retail stores for testing for the presence of melamine.

"In light of recent disclosures of melamine being found in certain imported food products, FSIS has determined that it is prudent to do a small amount of sampling to see if there is any reason to be concerned about the presence of this chemical in meat and poultry products," the federal agency said in a statement on Friday.

The inspectors will collect some 45 samples weekly over a 12-week period from retail outlets. Samples will be taken from baby food containing meat or poultry, cooked sausages and hot dogs, breaded chicken products, and pizza or pizza-like products.

The US imported 4,162 tons of Chinese dairy products last year and 1,750 tons in the first seven months of 2008, according to the USDA.

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