Melamine is a nephrotoxic industrial chemical. Diet is one source of melamine exposure, yet little work has examined the main dietary contributors, particularly among children. We evaluated associations of diet with urinary melamine and derivative concentrations among 123 children aged 4-6 years in the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth cohort. Children's diets on the day preceding urine collection were assessed using 24-h dietary recalls. Associations of meat, fruit, and grain intakes with melamine exposure were examined using multiple linear regression. Remaining food groups were examined in secondary analyses. Mean (SD) melamine, ammelide, and cyanuric acid concentrations were 6.1 (12.4), 1.9 (2.1), and 60.6 (221.2) ng/mL, respectively. The second tertile of red meat consumers had 98% (95% CI: 15%, 241%) greater melamine exposure than non-consumers, yet the highest consumers did not have increased exposure. Greater consumption of certain fruits was associated with lower urinary ammelide. The top yogurt consumers had 112% (95% CI: 29%, 247%) greater melamine exposure than non-consumers. Consumption of starchy vegetables excluding potatoes was associated with 139% (95% CI: 6%, 437%) greater urinary ammelide. These observed associations should be confirmed in future studies using larger samples and increased monitoring of non-dietary routes of exposure.
Keywords: ammelide; cyanuric acid; diet; melamine.