Canada has lowered its melamine standards to match the World Health Organisation's newly set level, according to Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq on Wednesday (Dec 10).
 

The WHO had earlier determined that the tolerable daily intake of melamine for a person is 0.2mg per kg of body weight.

Under this formula, a 110-pound person could ingest 10 milligrammes of melamine per day without potential health risks.

Aside from adopting the WHO's new standard, Canada will also reduce the amount of melamine allowed in infant formula to 0.5 parts per million (ppm) from 1 ppm, even though the latter standard was determined by WHO to be safe.

The new standards come as China struggles with the melamine crisis that saw the deaths of six infants and 294,000 sickened children. Melamine, if consumed in excessive amounts, can cause to kidney stones and lead to death.