Think of it like a fishing net: each melamine molecule is a knot, and formaldehyde is the string connecting them. Once the net is formed, it cannot be melted back into individual strands. That's why melamine is "thermoset" – once hardened, it stays hard forever.
By adding cheap industrial melamine to watered-down milk, companies could fake high protein readings. A $1 bag of melamine could turn 1,000 liters of diluted milk into "premium" product. From 2005-2008, multiple Chinese dairy companies, including the giant Sanlu Group, systematically added melamine to infant formula, milk powder, yogurt, and even candy. When initial tests showed problems, they simply switched to a different brand of melamine. The Tragedy In September 2008, hospitals in Gansu province reported a cluster of babies with kidney failure. The cause: melamine crystals forming razor-sharp stones inside their tiny kidneys. melamina pdf
Here is the long story about (often misspelled as "melamina") in PDF format. Think of it like a fishing net: each
