Abstract
The aim of this study was to monitor the carry-over of melamine and its metabolite cyanuric acid from melamine-contaminated feed administered to layers into eggs. Ten experimental Isa Brown layers (36 week of age) were fed melamine-contaminated feed containing 100 mg of melamine per kg of feed. The duration of the experiment was 6 weeks. Eggs were collected during whole experiment. Analysis of eggs was done by a simple extraction of melamine and cyanuric acid residues, using a water-acetonitrile mixture and analysed by gas chromatography - triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Melamine and cyanuric acid residues were detected in all eggs collected from the experimental layers, immediately after the first administration of melamine-contaminated feed. The mean concentrations of melamine in the egg yolk and egg white recalculated on a dry matter basis were 1.90 mg·kg-1 ± 0.158 and 10.84 mg·kg-1 ± 3.951 (P ≤ 0.01); the cyanuric acid contents were 6.54 mg·kg-1 ± 0.2.466 and 4.07 mg·kg-1 ± 0.909, respectively. Melamine and cyanuric acid were not detected in eggs from control layers. Concentrations of melamine and cyanuric acid in eggs decreased quickly after melamine feeding was stopped. Our results indicate that melamine undergoes biotransformation to cyanuric acid in the layer’s body that also passed into the eggs. The results verified the presence of distribution metabolic pathway of melamine and its easiest transfer into egg yolk. Moreover, the biotransformation of melamine into cyanuric acid in eggs of layers was confirmed.
Highlights
Melamine is a chemical substance used in a wide range of industrial applications, for example in the production of glass-reinforced plastics and plastic materials, as a component of organic coatings, or as a coolant
The mean concentrations of melamine in the egg yolk and egg white recalculated on a dry matter basis were 1.90 mg·kg-1 ± 0.158 and 10.84 mg·kg-1 ± 3.951 (P ≤ 0.01); the cyanuric acid contents were 6.54 mg·kg-1 ± 0.2.466 and 4.07 mg·kg-1 ± 0.909, respectively
In the course of the experimental period, the mean concentrations of melamine in the egg yolk and egg white recalculated on a dry matter basis were 1.90 mg·kg-1 ± 0.158 and 10.84 mg·kg-1 ± 3.951, respectively
Summary
Melamine is a chemical substance used in a wide range of industrial applications, for example in the production of glass-reinforced plastics and plastic materials, as a component of organic coatings, or as a coolant. In March 2007, it was revealed that wheat gluten, rice protein and maize protein imported from China to the USA for the production of feeds for domestic animals were contaminated with considerable amounts of melamine and cyanuric acid Products made from these raw materials caused renal failure in dogs and cats (Brown et al 2007). It was found that raw milk was adulterated with melamine for a period of several months in order to deceive quality control analysis of milk, i.e. to increase the content of proteins (WHO 2008b) After this incident, the problem of melamine-contaminated milk and dairy products was investigated very extensively, revealing a total of 22 baby food manufacturers who used melaminecontaminated starting materials in which the concentrations of melamine exceeded 2.5 mg·kg-1. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of continuous administration of melamine on the metabolic state of layers by haematological and biochemical blood tests and possibility of biotransformation melamine to cyanuric acid in eggs
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