Melamine Scare In Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate Coins-Truth!
Melamine Scare In Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate Coins-Truth!
Summary of the eRumor:
A Halloween warning not to eat Sherwood brand Pirate's Gold milk chocolate coins because they could contain Melamine, a substance that could be toxic.
The Truth:
This warning is true in Canada only.
October 8, 2008 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning that "the public not to consume, distribute, or sell the Sherwood Brands Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate Coins described below. This product is being recalled due to positive test results for melamine conducted by the CFIA."
Melamine is an industrial chemical compound that some Chinese milk-based product manufacturers have added to their products in an attempt to artificially inflate the reading for protein levels. Chronic exposure to melamine can cause a number of severe health issues including bladder or kidney stones, acute kidney failure, reproductive damage, respiratory irritation and bladder cancer.
Because the Pirate's Gold chocolate coins are only marketed in Canada, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not issued a recall. Melamine is a real health threat, however, and the FDA has posted a general warning about this substance found in food products imported from China. Click for FDA Warning
On October 24, 2008, the Sherwood company issued a statement on their website regarding their "commitment to test and assure the safety of all our products", and "Immediately upon the issuance of a warning by FDA about possible melamine contamination in milk-containing products from China we began to work with independent labs to confirm our products are free of melamine".
Click for CFIA warning
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