• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

FDA: Contaminated feed could affect farms nationwide

PORKER

Well-known member
FDA: Contaminated feed could affect farms nationwide
POSTED: 0214 GMT (1014 HKT), May 1, 2007
Story Highlights• Contaminated feed found in 38 Indiana chicken farms; more farms likely affected
• Feed contains recalled pet food with tainted wheat gluten
• No human illnesses have been reported related to tainted poultry feed
• Reports of 4,150 dog and cat deaths related to pet food recall

By Katy Byron
CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) -- More farms across the United States will likely be affected by animal feed tainted with recalled pet food, federal health officials said Tuesday, after an investigation of Indiana chicken farms found the contaminated feed in more than three dozen facilities that raise poultry for human consumption.

The Food and Drug Administration said it expects farms in other states will report they received the tainted pet food and predicted that the number of plants that received contaminated feed could reach into the hundreds.

Recalled pet food containing tainted Chinese wheat gluten was found in chicken feed in 38 Indiana farms, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday, but no chicken recall has been issued because the likelihood of getting sick from eating chicken fed the contaminated product is very low, FDA officials said.

No human illnesses related to the minimally tainted poultry feed have been reported, according to the agencies.

Last week, FDA officials said 6,000 hogs that may have ingested tainted pet food entered the human food supply. Pork producers in seven states -- California, Kansas, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah -- are being investigated for buying adulterated feed. (Full story)

In an effort to further contain the tainted products, the FDA last week detained all vegetable protein imports from China that are used in both human and animal food as part of its investigation into the nationwide pet food recall.

The protein products from China that are affected include: wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn byproducts, soy protein, soy gluten proteins, and mung bean protein, the FDA import alert dated April 27 said.

NCC: It's like cooking cupcakes
Occasionally, pet food manufacturers sell material left over from the molding process to animal feed manufacturers and that's how the contaminated pet food got into poultry feed, according to Richard Lobb, spokesman for the National Chicken Council, the trade group that represents U.S. poultry producers, marketers and processors.

"It's like cooking cupcakes -- you get some of the dough on the pan, you scrape it off and throw it away. What they're saying is that somebody bought that material and it got mixed in corn and soybean that gets manufactured in poultry feed," he said.

"The dilution factor is enormous. You have a relatively small amount of pet food byproducts used," in poultry feed manufacturing, Lobb said.

In fact, "it's a safe and wholesome product to use," he added.

In response to the FDA/USDA announcement, the National Chicken Council released a statement saying "We are confident that any poultry producers involved will work expeditiously with the government to resolve this matter to the satisfaction of the government agencies."

Lobb said it is industry practice for companies to own birds and contract growers to raise them, and that companies supply the feed to the growers as well.

"Nobody buys feed from China," Lobb told CNN.

"Feed is made from corn, soybean meal, minerals... about 70 percent of ration is corn and that's all locally grown in the United States. Soybeans are all grown in the United States," Lobb said.

"Melamine is not supposed to be in any animal feed, pet food... it's an industrial chemical and that problem goes back to China where they were deliberately spiking the product with melamine and before that with urea in order to boost its protein content," Lobb said.

Perdue and Tyson Foods -- two of the largest U.S. chicken producers -- do not import any protein ingredients from China used in their chicken feeds, company representatives told their supermarket chain clients Tuesday.

FDA: No evidence tainted gluten in U.S. stores
FDA officials said they have found no evidence that tainted wheat gluten was added directly to any human food products that Americans may find on store shelves.

The FDA has investigators in China working with the Chinese government's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to investigate the sources of the contaminated products.

It is unclear how long the United States has been importing tainted food additives from China.

"Clearly that is a concern if that has been going on for a long period of time," said Dr. David Acheson, who was appointed to the new position of FDA Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection earlier in the day.

Melamine, cyanuric acid might be the deadly combination
Monday's report is the latest development in the FDA's investigation into the recall of more than 60 million cans of pet food after at least 17 cats and dogs died of kidney failure. The urine of cats that ate the tainted pet food tested positive for melamine, an industrial chemical used in the manufacturing of plastic utensils and fertilizer.

In addition, the FDA announced last week that rice protein additive imported from China was found to contain cyanuric acid, but the federal agency has yet to positively identify the causative agent in the pet deaths. Cyanuric acid is used as a stabilizer in outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs.

Investigators outside the FDA are uncovering evidence that suggests the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid is responsible for the pet deaths related to the recall. (Full story)

The agency also reported last week that it has received more than 17,000 consumer complaints related to the recall, including reports of 4,150 dog and cat deaths.

More than 150 brands and 5,300 pet food products have been recalled. Companies that produced affected items include Menu Foods, Hill's Pet Nutrition, P&G Pet Care, Nestle Purina PetCare, Del Monte Pet Products, and Sunshine Mills. The affected products have been recalled in cooperation with the FDA. The first recall was initiated March 16 by Menu Foods.

CNN's Joe Johns, Miriam Falco and Tom Watkins contributed to this report
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
5/2/2007 1:25:00 PM


Indiana Poultry Farmers Checking Feed For Melamine



With U.S. officials estimating that some 3 million broiler chickens ate feed tainted with melamine, Indiana poultry producers are working to ensure their feed stocks aren't contaminated, according to media reports.

USDA and FDA officials said the chickens ate the feed in February and have since been processed and sold.

However, they emphasized that eating meat harvested from animals that have consumed the tainted feed isn't likely to sicken humans, which is why a recall of such product has not been issued. (See USDA, FDA explain decisions in melamine investigation on Meatingplace.com, May 2, 2007.)

As a matter of perspective, officials also noted that the 3 million broilers that ate the tainted feed represent a small portion of the 9 billion broilers slaughtered annually in the United States.

Thus far, it's been determined that 30 broiler farms and eight breeder farms in Indiana received and fed contaminated feed to chickens, officials said.



Source: Tom Johnston, Meatingplace.com
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
5/2/2007 1:25:00 PM


Indiana Poultry Farmers Checking Feed For Melamine



With U.S. officials estimating that some 3 million broiler chickens ate feed tainted with melamine, Indiana poultry producers are working to ensure their feed stocks aren't contaminated, according to media reports.

USDA and FDA officials said the chickens ate the feed in February and have since been processed and sold.

However, they emphasized that eating meat harvested from animals that have consumed the tainted feed isn't likely to sicken humans, which is why a recall of such product has not been issued. (See USDA, FDA explain decisions in melamine investigation on Meatingplace.com, May 2, 2007.)

As a matter of perspective, officials also noted that the 3 million broilers that ate the tainted feed represent a small portion of the 9 billion broilers slaughtered annually in the United States.

Thus far, it's been determined that 30 broiler farms and eight breeder farms in Indiana received and fed contaminated feed to chickens, officials said.



Source: Tom Johnston, Meatingplace.com


From Porker's article:

Perdue and Tyson Foods -- two of the largest U.S. chicken producers -- do not import any protein ingredients from China used in their chicken feeds, company representatives told their supermarket chain clients Tuesday.

But what, they buy them?

When Tyson Reps. say such boldfaced lies to deceive others, why does anyone believe them? GIPSA should take a lesson from this!!!

The problem is that Tyson's money is doing all the talking to the regulators. They shouldn't even get an interview with the regulatory agencies unless they are being questioned for an investigation. For crying out loud---they already bribed the Sec. of Agriculture and got a Presidential Pardon!!!!
 

PORKER

Well-known member
20 million chickens are kept from market

Brand-name producers gave them feed laced with tainted pet food


10:57 PM CDT on Friday, May 4, 2007
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON – About 20 million chickens raised for human consumption in several states ate feed made with melamine-tainted pet food and have been placed on a marketing hold to keep them out of the food supply, Agriculture Department officials said Friday.

The agency called for the "voluntary hold" late Friday, pending completion of a government risk analysis to determine whether the animals would be safe for people to eat.

The move, which involves major market brands, marked a significant escalation of the pet-food scandal, which started with a few companion animals dying from food laced with tainted ingredients from China and has grown to reveal big cracks in the human food-safety system.

Last week, government officials found evidence that as many as 345 pigs and perhaps 3 million broiler chickens may have been sold for human food after having eaten contaminated feed. About 9 billion chickens are raised for slaughter in this country each year.

Food and Drug Administration officials have said they believe the health risks of eating meat from animals that were fed the contaminated material are very small.

The 20 million live chickens now being held were being raised for "large, brand-name growers," USDA spokesman Keith Williams said. "These are names you would know."

The agency is not revealing the names, but Mr. Williams said the companies and the many contract growers raising the birds were cooperating fully with the hold.

Because the chickens were being raised for well-known brands, they were being fed a blend that is higher quality than conventional chicken feed, Mr. Williams said. That means their food had a smaller percentage of pet food mixed in – and lower overall doses of melamine, the industrial chemical recently found to have been mixed with Chinese wheat gluten and rice protein. Those materials were then imported into the United States and incorporated into more than 100 brands of pet food.

Thousands of pet deaths are being investigated for possible links to the contamination, and 60 million packages of pet food have been recalled since March.

The USDA, FDA and Environmental Protection Agency are working up a joint risk assessment that will take into account what is known about the doses consumed by the chickens, the way melamine is broken down in animal bodies, the toxicity of melamine to humans and the amount of chicken most people eat.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
That eating meat harvested from animals that have consumed the tainted feed isn't likely to sicken humans.

Sounds like the same sound science as eating beef from a BSE Animal !

Bury them in a safe place.

Pay the farmer a fair price as we have 8+ billion chickens with clean FEED to put into the market that for sure doesn't have the pet killer compound in it.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Hey I don’t care if I never buy another damn China thing as long as I live. I will not buy another China product. I don’t care if I have to fast, starve, and carry a magnifying glass with me to the store ! They are trying to kill us with poisioned food and feed !!!!

Because the chickens were being raised for well-known brands, they were being fed a blend that is higher quality than conventional chicken feed,Horse Pucky...............
 

Econ101

Well-known member
PORKER said:
Hey I don’t care if I never buy another damn China thing as long as I live. I will not buy another China product. I don’t care if I have to fast, starve, and carry a magnifying glass with me to the store ! They are trying to kill us with poisioned food and feed !!!!

Because the chickens were being raised for well-known brands, they were being fed a blend that is higher quality than conventional chicken feed,Horse Pucky...............

They better add chickens and animals fed with feed from China on the MCOOL label then, Porker, or your magnifying glass is of no use.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Hey I don’t care if I never buy another damn China thing as long as I live. I will not buy another China product. I don’t care if I have to fast, starve, and carry a magnifying glass with me to the store ! They are trying to kill us with poisioned food and feed !!!!

Because the chickens were being raised for well-known brands, they were being fed a blend that is higher quality than conventional chicken feed,Horse Pucky............... Bull S***

Sure is heck not eating KFC or TYSON ,Perdue,Gold KIST, ETC..........
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Looks like some other chemicals and pesticides are being tested for in the Contaminatied Chi-Com feed ingredients imported into the US and Canada and other countrys. link to FDA site, http://www.fda.gov/cvm/GCMSscreen.htm
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Animal By-Products Renderer Signs Consent Decree


by Walt D. Osborne, M.S., J.D., Assistant Editor
A consent decree of permanent injunction has been signed by the Food and Drug Administration and the president and vice president/general manager of Holmes By-Products Co., Inc., of Millersburg, OH, a renderer of bovine and poultry materials. The firm was found to be in violation of FDA’s ruminant feed ban (21 CFR Section 589.2000).



The ruminant feed ban, published in 1997, is an important safeguard against the establishment and spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States.



Holmes By-Products, Inc., and its officers have agreed to incorporate a combination of one or more of the following mitigation steps: label all of its products with the statement “Do not feed to cattle or other ruminants,” maintain separate lines of equipment for producing various products, and sufficiently clean existing equipment between uses. Under the terms of the consent decree, FDA retained permission to inspect the facility without prior notice to ensure continued compliance with the consent decree. In addition, the defendants agreed to pay the costs of all FDA inspections, investigations, and analyses that the agency deems necessary to ensure compliance.



The consent decree, which was entered on February 26, 2007, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, also provides for FDA to require a recall or shutdown of the firm should violations occur in the future. Consecutive inspections of the Holmes operation by FDA officials showed that the company used common equipment to manufacture mammalian meat and bone meal and poultry byproduct meal products without using a clean-out process adequate to avoid and prevent commingling and cross-contamination. Although serious deviations from the ruminant feed ban were found, no evidence was found to indicate that this poultry byproduct meal had actually been fed to cattle or other ruminants.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Federal legislation
Congress has been crafting legislation to ensure the safety of pet food. On May 9, the Senate passed a bill to amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that included an amendment regarding pet food.

"What we have seen happen over the last several months is a clear indication that our food safety system—as good as it may be—needs to be a lot better," said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois when he introduced the amendment, which the AVMA helped draft.

The amendment would require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish the following:

processing and ingredient standards for pet foods, along with updates to labeling standards
a surveillance system to identify adulteration of pet food and outbreaks of illness in association with pet food
a notification network to inform veterinarians during any recall
an Adulterated Food Registry that would allow HHS to issue alerts for foods following multiple cases of adulteration or outbreaks of illness


The amendment would require an annual report to detail the scope of food imports subject to FDA regulation, the number of FDA inspectors and inspections for food imports, and the findings of these inspections—with information about any enforcement actions.

At press time, the House had not drafted a companion bill. Some provisions of the amendment reappear in separate legislation, the Human and Pet Food Safety Act of 2007, which Sen. Durbin and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut introduced in their respective houses of Congress.

The act also would require anyone who has reason to believe that food is unsafe to immediately notify HHS, with civil penalties for failure to notify. Furthermore, the act would grant HHS the authority to order a mandatory recall.

Finally, the act would require HHS to certify that the food safety programs of a foreign government or establishment are at least equivalent to U.S. programs before the government or establishment would be able to export food to the United States.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
EATING CHINESE - FOOD IMPORTS
Canada's problems;

Toothpaste made with engine coolant for sale in Central America. Catfish laced with banned antibiotics and mushrooms loaded with illegal pesticides rejected by the U.S. Toxic cough syrup that killed at least 50, and probably a great many more people in Panama. And then there are all those thousands of poisoned dogs and cats.


What these incidents have in common, of course, is that these tainted products were all "made in China." Some countries have banned some Chinese imports outright: Japan stopped all tea and spinach imports due to antibiotic residue; the European Union halted imports of shrimp for banned anti-biotics; and South Korean blocked fermented cabbage imports when they found parasites in some shipments. Here in Canada, inspectors recently turned down a shipment of corn gluten from China that tested positive for melamine and cyanuric acid.


But it's not just gluten people are worried about - China is now the world's No. 1 exporter of fruits and vegetables. If you're eating frozen peas, fresh garlic, or drinking apple juice, there's a good chance that food was grown in China. Then there's the additives. If you're chewing gum sweetened with Xylitol, for example, chances are the sweetener comes from China. If your food has been fortified with Folic Acid ... chances are that Vitamin B comes from China. And of course, you'll never know it from reading the label.


China has defended the integrity of its food supply, of course. But there are signs it is responding to international pressure - everything from the dramatic death sentence imposed on the head of its food and drug agency, to this week's announcements about new food recall programs. At stake economically? A 30 billion dollar a year export trade in food and drugs. The questions remain however. With China the world's new bread basket, just how safe is our food?


Wenran Jiang is the director of the China Institute at the University of Alberta Canada. He keeps a close watch on the Chinese economy, and its implications for global politics.
 
Top