Urinary melamine: Proposed parameter of melamine adulteration of food

Melamine is widely being reported as a food adulterant. Although its toxicity is currently recognized, melamine adulterations of food items are ongoing for falsely inflating the protein content of the food. Melamine alone or in combination with cyanuric acid or uric acid causes nephrotoxicity, and melamine-induced nephrotoxicity is now a global concern. It has been proven that when consumed, melamine is metabolized at a slower rate and excreted unchanged in urine. There is every possibility that when individuals consume melamine-adulterated food items, the melamine may be excreted unchanged in the urine. Therefore, melamine estimation in urine may be a yardstick to check for melamine adulteration of food items. In the present review, recent literature on this subject is analyzed justifying. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.