BEWARE: Chocolate Coins from China this Halloween.

[Zuiderelle]

We'll be removing any we find in our son's haul, and telling him beforehand not to eat any chocolate, or any other candy before checking with us first.

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/coins.asp

Bad Coins

Claim: A recall was issued for foil-wrapped Pirate's Gold chocolate coins because they contain melamine.

Status: True

Origins: Every now and then, a warning circulated in e-mail proves to be the real deal. Such is the case with the helpful heads-up about foil-covered chocolate coins being vended in Canada.

On 8 October 2008, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a consumer advisory warning the public not to eat, distribute, or sell Sherwood brand Pirate's Gold milk chocolate coins imported from China. The candy is being recalled after testing positive for the industrial chemical melamine, a substance at the center of the tainted-milk controversy in China that has been implicated in the deaths of four infants and the sickening of 54,000 other babies. The coins were being sold across Canada by Costco and may also have been vended in bulk packages or as individual pieces at dollar and bulk stores.

Although the health risk is considered low, the advisory was issued after an investigation into milk and milk-derived products from China that may have reached Canadian stores.

[pacalo]

1. Why are the Chinese putting melamine in everything?!

I learned that my dog's "Waggin' Tails" chicken treats -- which come from China -- have melamine in them, too. Dogs like them so much you'd think they were eating crack; mine would want one after the other, until I learned about the content.

Knowing what we do, why are we still accepting goods from them?!

[Zuiderelle]

2. I suppose it would hurt us economically to refuse all Chinese goods. So, money over life.

It's insane that any country is accepting ANYTHING that could even possibly contain melamine. These coins come from Canada, but they are sold at COSTCO, and it's not as if some Canadian coins won't make it across our substantial border.

It's really infuriating.

[nykym]

7. Usually added by the middleman

Melamine is sometimes illegally added to food products in order to increase the apparent protein content. Standard tests such as the Kjeldahl and Dumas tests estimate protein levels by measuring the nitrogen content, so they can be misled by adding nitrogen-rich compounds such as melamine. <11>

[FatDave]

13. Yup. Looks like protein, tastes like death.

It seems to be in powdered milk that's finding its way into everything.

[aquart]

3. Never mind Halloween. Chocolate coins are traditional Chanukah gifts.

[Zuiderelle]

6. Good point!

I hope every parent everywhere is aware of this, and that every school informs every child.

[tuckessee]

4. People should not eat ANY candy from China.

Just to be on the safe side.

[ogneopasno]

5. Beware anything from China.

nt

[Kukesa]

8. NONE of this candy reached the US. Read Snopes to the end. n/t

[Zuiderelle]

10. It was sold in CANADA. Being in a state right below Canada, I'm concerned.

What on earth? You don't see the potential for some of this getting across our substantial border?

[Night_Nurse]

12. I'm in Michigan, and I'm concerned as well.. nt

[IndianaJones]

9. that cheap stuff is nasty...its like its oily or something. nt.

[Zuiderelle]

11. I know! I don't get the appeal. It's completely fake chocolate anyway.

And now it's potentially poison as well.