Melamine in animal feed an 'open secret'

The chemical melamine, at the center of a scandal in China’s dairy industry, is frequently added to animal feed in China, AP reported, citing state media. The news came as four brands of Chinese eggs were found in the past week to contain illegal levels of melamine. The Nanfang Daily newspaper reported that the practice is an "open secret" in the industry, with repackaged melamine scrap sold to feed suppliers as "protein powder." No illnesses linked to eating melamine-tainted eggs have been reported, but the newspaper reported that the practice of adding melamine to feed for fish, livestock and poultry could have even more far-reaching effects than the dairy scandal.