Taiwan to develop methods to test melamine tableware: official

Taiwan still has no established way of testing the amount of melamine released from utensils and tableware made from melamine resin.

However, in an experiment conducted by the Consumers' Foundation based on Japan's methods, it was found that 100 percent of the 20 melamine-resin tableware products tested released melamine when filled with anything hot.

The raw material used in melamine tableware is melamine formaldehyde resin and the quality of the finished product depends on the temperature and pressure used during the manufacturing process, said Wang Cheng-huei, deputy director of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection.

If the process is properly controlled, there should be no concerns over the release of melamine or formaldehyde from tableware made of thermosetting resin, he added.

Melamine is often used in the manufacture of kitchen utensils and tableware, but such containers are not safe for microwave use, as they absorb the oven's radiation and heat up.

Wang said the bureau will work to obtain more information about Japan's sanitary testing methods for the products.

Taiwan has a standard for the maximum amount of formaldehyde released from food containers, but not one for melamine tableware, Wang said. If the DOH, which regulates the food container industry, establishes a melamine standard, the bureau will make an effort to include it in the national standards, he added.

In the recent experiment, all tableware made of melamine resin tested positive for melamine release, Wang said, warning that consumers should not use such products for hot food or for microwaving.

Wang also urged melamine tableware manufacturers to clearly label their products with the warning that they "should not be used in microwave ovens, " and to remind consumers not to use them for hot food or drink.

The Consumers' Foundation on Monday released the results of the tests which showed that all 20 sample products contained excessive amounts of melamine. Eight of the tested samples, or 40 percent, carried no warning against microwave use, the foundation observed.

The tests found that the amount of melamine released from the 20 items varied from 0.04 mg per liter to 20 mg per liter. The foundation recommended that consumers use stainless steel and ceramics as alternatives to melamine resin tableware.

Melamine is a highly toxic substance commonly used in the manufacture of plastic resins for household use, such as counter tops, plates and bowls.

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