Melamine (adulterant - 2007 context)

This one is here to be honest about ORIA’s limits. In 2007, imported “wheat gluten” was secretly spiked with melamine to fake a higher protein reading; mixed with cyanuric acid it formed crystals that destroyed pets’ kidneys, killing thousands. Because it was fraud, “melamine” never appeared on any label - so no label-reading tool, ORIA included, could have caught it. The takeaway isn’t a scary ingredient to scan for; it’s why brand sourcing, traceability and testing matter beyond the ingredient list.