Melamine Dishes for Kids

The chemical compound melamine is mixed with other compounds, including formaldehyde, to make the polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins used in many products, including CDs, DVDs, electrical and electronic equipment, automobiles, sports equipment and reusable food and drink containers. The safety of melamine for use with food has come under question following several incidents.

Dangers

• Groups such as the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have agreed that very small amounts of melamine are OK for consumption by humans. Dangerous situations can occur, however, if more than a trace amount of melamine leaches from a dish and into food. Consuming too much melamine can cause respiratory and digestion issues and may cause kidney damage. Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international food safety commission, has set maximum limits of melamine at 1 mg per 2.2 lbs. of powdered baby formula and 2.5 mg per 2.2 lbs. of other food.

Precautions

• Even if you have melamine dishes in your home, you can take several precautions to ensure that chemicals do not leach from the dishes into food. Keep melamine dishes out of the automatic dishwasher. Clean them by hand, which will help protect against leaching. Also, do not use melamine dishes in a microwave oven, and never use melamine dishes as a means of boiling water. Heating melamine, whether in a microwave or through the boiling of water, can increase the dangers of chemicals leaching into food.

How to Know

• If you don't know whether your dishes contain melamine, use a simple method for checking: Turn the dishes upside down and look for a triangle, formed with three arrows, that contains a number. The number identifies recyclable products. If the number includes a 7 or the letters "PC," the dishware contains melamine. When purchasing plastic dishes for kids, look for products with a somewhat cloudy, soft appearance. (Clear, hard plastic products generally contain melamine.)

Alternatives

• To ensure dishes for kids do not contain even small levels of melamine, avoid plastic products and serve food and drinks to children using ceramic or glass products. Ceramic and glass products are also more environmentally friendly than plastic dishes. If you replace melamine dishes, your children can play with them safely in a play kitchen, a sandbox or the bathtub. Do not serve any food on these dishes to kids or pets.