在美國阿拉巴馬州店家販售的中國製餅乾遭驗出高含量的三聚氰胺，引發消費者保護團體呼籲聯邦政府禁止所有從中國進口含有奶蛋白成分的商品。
近期在中國發生四起嬰兒死亡和53,000個孩童的病例和食用含三聚氰胺的嬰兒食品有關，不過除了個別的商品像大白兔奶糖、伯朗咖啡有做個別的產品回收之外，在美國還未被禁止──美國食品與藥物管理局（FDA）兩週前設定了三聚氰胺於食品中「可接受」的含量，但是這個方法並無法保證所有的店家內沒有販售有毒的產品。
到了15日，阿拉巴馬州農業局宣布在該州商店內的無尾熊牌巧克力餅，含有超過聯邦標準的三聚氰胺。
阿拉巴馬州農業暨工業部長史帕克斯（Ron Sparks）表示，該部門的農業殘餘實驗室確認巧克力和草莓口味的無尾熊餅乾都含有三聚氰胺並建議消費者不要食用直接丟棄。
儘管代理商確認了美國Lotte總公司將會把這項產品全面下架，FDA卻還沒有下令將產品回收，而無尾熊餅乾目前仍在美國的商店售架上。
一消費者保護團體「食物與水監督組織」（Food and Water Watch）正要求美國政府效法其他國家，全面禁止中國乳製品進口並且立刻要求無尾熊餅乾產品全面回收。
FDA現已擴大了本國產和進口的乳化製品及含有牛乳的食品。包括糖果、甜點和飲料，以及全乳奶粉、脫脂奶粉、乳清粉、乳糖粉和乳酪蛋白等乳化製品。
FDA官員8日時仍表示，該局檢測過的無尾熊餅乾是安全無虞的，並同時與母公司和美國分公司商討如何下架。
然而至今，香港、澳門、加拿大和法國已全面禁止無尾熊餅乾進口了。歐盟執委會也緊縮中國進口產品的安全規定，最近也宣佈將禁止中國至奶製品，同時全面檢測已進入歐盟市場的中國奶製品。
「食物與水監督組織」執行長皓特（Wenonah Hauter）這樣表示：「我們不相信FDA說中國產品現在是安全的說法，因為至今FDA似乎比重視消費者安全更要重視鼓勵進口產品，現在FDA需要跟著其他先進國家的決定，採取禁止進口中國乳製品或是含有中國牛奶成分的加工食品，這樣才是保護國民健康的預防性措施。」
Chinese cookies found in Alabama stores have tested positive for high levels of the plastic melamine, triggering a demand from consumer organizations for a federal government ban on all food products from China containing milk proteins.
The recent deaths of four infants and the illnesses of 53,000 other children in China linked with the consumption of infant formula containing melamine have not resulted in a ban in the United States, although individual products, such as White Rabbit candy and Mr. Brown drinks, have been recalled.
Two weeks ago the U.S. Food and Drug Administration set "acceptable" levels for melamine in human food, but this measure has not kept contaminated products out of U.S. stores.
On Wednesday, the Alabama Department of Agriculture announced that Koala's March brand cookies found in Alabama stores have tested positive for melamine with levels that exceed the FDA's stated safe levels of exposure.
Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks said the department's Pesticide Residue Laboratory confirmed the presence of melamine in the strawberry and chocolate flavors of the cookies and advised consumers to discard the products.
The FDA has not issued a recall for the product, and despite assurances from the agency that the parent company, Lotte USA, is removing the product from the marketplace, Koala's March cookies are still present on U.S. shelves.
Food and Water Watch, a national consumer advocacy group, is demanding that the federal government follow the example of other countries that have closed their borders to Chinese dairy products and immediately issue a recall for Koala's March cookies.
The FDA has broadened its domestic and import sampling and testing of milk-derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk, such as candies, desserts, and beverages that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources. Milk-derived ingredients include whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, whey powder, lactose powder, and casein.
FDA officials said on a teleconference call October 8 that the Koala's March cookies the agency had tested were safe and they were working with the parent company and its U.S. subsidiary to get the product out of U.S. stores.
To date, Hong Kong, Macau, Canada and France have all banned the Koala March's cookies.
The European Commission is tightening its rules on Chinese imports, recently announcing that it will ban milk-containing products from China, and will test all other Chinese milk-containing products that are already in the EU.
"We cannot take FDA at their word that dairy products from China are safe, since at this point it seems that FDA is more concerned with promoting imports than protecting consumers," said Food and Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. "It is time for FDA to follow the lead of countries around the world that have taken precautionary steps to protect their citizens by banning imports of Chinese dairy products and processed foods that contain Chinese milk ingredients."
