Melamine has high content of which element that can cause a falsely elevated reading of protein in dairy products?

Melamine has high content of which element that can cause a falsely elevated reading of protein in dairy products?

• A. Carbohydrates
• B. Nitrogen
• C. Hydrogen
• D. Oxygen

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how protein is measured in dairy products. Many standard tests estimate crude protein by measuring the total nitrogen in a sample and then multiplying by a conversion factor. Melamine is rich in nitrogen—six nitrogen atoms per molecule—yet it is not actual protein. When melamine is added to dairy, it increases the nitrogen content, which the test interprets as more protein. So the reading appears higher than the true protein content. Carbohydrates, hydrogen, and oxygen don’t contribute to the nitrogen-based protein readings in the same way, so they wouldn’t cause a falsely elevated protein result.

The key idea is how protein is measured in dairy products. Many standard tests estimate crude protein by measuring the total nitrogen in a sample and then multiplying by a conversion factor. Melamine is rich in nitrogen—six nitrogen atoms per molecule—yet it is not actual protein. When melamine is added to dairy, it increases the nitrogen content, which the test interprets as more protein. So the reading appears higher than the true protein content. Carbohydrates, hydrogen, and oxygen don’t contribute to the nitrogen-based protein readings in the same way, so they wouldn’t cause a falsely elevated protein result.