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Humans at risk from tainted pet food?

PORKER

Well-known member
Humans at risk from tainted pet food?
other stories;
Pet food recall expands
Chinese criticized in pet food probe
Tainted pet food linked to sharp uptick in kidney cases in cats
Wal-Mart dog treats join pet food recall
China denies role in U.S. pet deaths

By Karen Roebuck
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, April 20, 2007

Federal officials confirmed Thursday they are investigating whether pork products intended for humans are contaminated with the same industrial chemical that prompted a massive pet food recall and sickened cats and dogs nationwide.
Researchers also have identified three other contaminants in the urine and kidneys of animals sickened or killed after eating the recalled foods, including cyanuric acid, a chemical commonly used in pool chlorination, three researchers told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Cyanuric acid is what most likely sickened pets, one researcher said.

Melamine previously was found in the recalled pet food and two ingredients -- wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate -- as well as in the urine, blood, kidneys and tissues of infected animals.

Researchers and U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said since it was discovered in the pet food, wheat gluten and in animals' urine and kidneys, they did not believe it was what sickened the animals.

The Trib learned yesterday that melamine-contaminated feed was fed to hogs.The FDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture are investigating.

Some animals that are believed to have eaten the contaminated food were slaughtered and sold as food before authorities learned their feed had been contaminated, said Nancy Lungren, spokeswoman for the California agriculture department.

The state quarantined the farm Wednesday, she said.

Yesterday, the urine of some pigs at the 1,500-animal American Hog Farm in Ceres, Calif., tested positive for melamine, although all appeared healthy, Lungren said. About half a dozen pigs were put down and researchers at the University of California-Davis are testing their kidneys, tissues, blood and other body parts for melamine contamination, she said.

The contaminated feed was bought April 3 and 13 as salvage pet food from Diamond Pet Foods Inc., which received contaminated rice protein concentrate used in some recalled Natural Balance pet food, Lungren said.

Diamond Pet Foods made the dog and cat foods recalled this week by Natural Balance after melamine was found in an ingredient, rice protein concentrate.

Researchers isolated a spoke-like crystal in pet food, wheat gluten and in the urine, kidneys and tissues of infected animals. That crystal serves as a marker for determining what animals were sickened in the outbreak. About 30 percent of those crystals are made up of melamine, one investigator said, and researchers spent several weeks trying to identify what is in the remainder.

Researchers in at least three labs found cyanuric acid, amilorine and amiloride -- all by-products of melamine -- in the crystals of animals' urine, tissues and kidneys, according to Dr. Brent Hoff, a veterinarian and clinical toxicologist and pathologist, at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada; Richard Goldstein, associate professor of medicine at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine and a kidney specialist, and Dr. Thomas Mullaney, acting director of Michigan State University's Center for Population and Animal Health.

Michigan State's lab so far has found only the amilorine and amiloride, but Mullaney said he was aware of at least three other labs finding the cyanuric acid in the animals. The FDA asked labs involved in the pet food recall to test for the three chemicals.

Finding cyanuric acid is the more significant finding, Hoff, Goldstein and Mullaney said, although they are not yet certain how toxic it is to animals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site said, "When ingested (by humans) in large amounts, the substance may have effects on the kidneys, resulting in tissue lesions."

Because cyanuric acid was used in pool chlorination, more scientific studies have been done on that chemical than on melamine, amilorine and amiloride, Goldstein said. However, tests in dogs and rats found it is safe, he said.

Hoff, Goldstein and Mullaney said amilorine and amiloride were found earlier this week in low concentrations.

The findings have not been announced yet, because officials overseeing the research are seeking confirmation from as many labs as possible, they said.

Researchers ruled out aminopterin -- used as rat poison in other countries -- which New York state officials previously announced was in the pet food.

The FDA said the contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate used in pet food in the United States and Canada and melamine-tainted corn gluten used in recalled pet food in South Africa have been traced to companies in China.

The Chinese government told the Trib and the FDA yesterday that the Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd., which the FDA said supplied the tainted wheat gluten, did not export any wheat gluten intended to be used in food.

The FDA has received more than 15,000 calls reporting sick or dead cats and dogs since the pet food recall began last month, but the agency has not confirmed those yet.

Karen Roebuck can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7939.
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Yesterday, the urine of some pigs at the 1,500-animal American Hog Farm in Ceres, Calif., tested positive for melamine, although all appeared healthy, Lungren said. About half a dozen pigs were put down and researchers at the University of California-Davis are testing their kidneys, tissues, blood and other body parts for melamine contamination, she said.

The contaminated feed was bought April 3 and 13 as salvage pet food from Diamond Pet Foods Inc., which received contaminated rice protein concentrate used in some recalled Natural Balance pet food, Lungren said.




WE NEED COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING FOR EVERY INGREDIENT!!!!!!

If we can't trust the USDA and APHIS in doing their job at protecting our food safety, they need to be fired and consumers need to know the risks of a CHEAP FOOD POLICY!!!
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Yesterday, the urine of some pigs at the 1,500-animal American Hog Farm in Ceres, Calif., tested positive for melamine, although all appeared healthy, Lungren said. About half a dozen pigs were put down and researchers at the University of California-Davis are testing their kidneys, tissues, blood and other body parts for melamine contamination, she said.

The contaminated feed was bought April 3 and 13 as salvage pet food from Diamond Pet Foods Inc., which received contaminated rice protein concentrate used in some recalled Natural Balance pet food, Lungren said.




WE NEED COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING FOR EVERY INGREDIENT!!!!!!

If we can't trust the USDA and APHIS in doing their job at protecting our food safety, they need to be fired and consumers need to know the risks of a CHEAP FOOD POLICY!!!
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Stanislaus County Hog Farm Quarantined
Release #CDFA07-038
Print This Release

MELAMINE DETECTED IN PIG URINE

SACRAMENTO, April 19, 2007, Thursday, April 19, 2007 – The American Hog Farm, a 1500-animal facility in Ceres, has been quarantined by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and lab testing has revealed the presence of the chemical melamine in pig urine. Additional testing of tissues, serum and urine from animals at the farm is underway at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at UC Davis to determine if melamine is present in meat.

“Although all animals appear healthy, we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Richard Breitmeyer. “It is unknown if the chemical will be detected in meat. The farm is cooperating with us to determine the disposition of all animals that have left the premises since April 3.”

CDFA was notified of the potential problem by the FDA on April 18. A quarantine was established immediately and urine samples were sent to the lab for analysis. The results became known on April 19.

It is believed the melamine originated with rice protein concentrate shipped from China. Through an importer, the concentrate was distributed to Diamond Pet Foods, a pet food manufacturer in Lathrop, which sold salvage pet food to the farm for pig feed.

Tests of salvage pet food/pig feed at the farm were positive for melamine, as were tests on the pet food in question, Natural Balance – the subject of a recall announced April 16.

The American Hog Farm operates a sizable part of its business through a “custom slaughterhouse,” which processes animals on-site and sells them to individuals for personal use and not for resale. Additional sales by the farm continue to be investigated.

The California Department of Health Services (CDHS) recommends that individuals who purchased hogs from the American Hog Farm after April 3, 2007 not consume the product until further notice.

“At this point in the investigation, evidence suggests a minimal health risk to persons who have consumed pork purchased from these facilities over this timeframe,” said State Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton.

The investigation is still in the early stages. CDFA, in consultation with CDHS, will continue to work together with their federal partners to investigate this incident. As the investigation and testing continues, additional information and recommendations will be shared with the public as soon as they are available.



The California Department of Food and Agriculture protects and promotes California's $31.8 billion agricultural industry. California's farmers and ranchers produce a safe, secure supply of food, fiber and shelter; marketed fairly for all Californians; and produced with responsible environmental stewardship.
California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Public Affairs
Nancy Lungren, Deputy Secretary
1220 N St., Ste. 214, Sacramento, CA 95814
916-654-0462, www.cdfa.ca.gov
 

Econ101

Well-known member
I hope they can get their money back from the feed people they purchased the feed from!!!

APHIS should have an equal amount taken out of their govt. retirement program to help compensate producers who bought tainted feed the APHIS people didn't catch!!!

Johanns needs to lose his job along with some trade negotiators, APHIS management and other sellouts.

Why should taxpayers pay for such incompetence?

I believe I predicted that we would get something bad from China when talking about the mexico, philipines deal.

I didn't know it would be such a big, big problem as this is turning out to be.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
I just hope this crap doesn't get into the cattle feed premixes and cubes. This would shut off consumers from beef too. You just don't know where they source anything any more.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
FDA Was Aware of Dangers To Food
Outbreaks Were Not Preventable, Officials Say


By Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 23, 2007; Page A01

The Food and Drug Administration has known for years about contamination problems at a Georgia peanut butter plant and on California spinach farms that led to disease outbreaks that killed three people, sickened hundreds, and forced one of the biggest product recalls in U.S. history, documents and interviews show.

Overwhelmed by huge growth in the number of food processors and imports, however, the agency took only limited steps to address the problems and relied on producers to police themselves, according to agency documents.

Congressional critics and consumer advocates said both episodes show that the agency is incapable of adequately protecting the safety of the food supply.
FDA officials conceded that the agency's system needs to be overhauled to meet today's demands, but contended that the agency could not have done anything to prevent either contamination episode.

Last week, the FDA notified California state health officials that hogs on a farm in the state had likely eaten feed laced with melamine, an industrial chemical blamed for the deaths of dozens of pets in recent weeks. Officials are trying to determine whether the chemical's presence in the hogs represents a threat to humans.

Pork from animals raised on the farm has been recalled. The FDA has said its inspectors probably would not have found the contaminated food before problems arose. The tainted additive caused a recall of more than 100 different brands of pet food.

The outbreaks point to a need to change the way the agency does business, said Robert E. Brackett, director of the FDA's food-safety arm, which is responsible for safeguarding 80 percent of the nation's food supply.

"We have 60,000 to 80,000 facilities that we're responsible for in any given year," Brackett said. Explosive growth in the number of processors and the amount of imported foods means that manufacturers "have to build safety into their products rather than us chasing after them," Brackett said. "We have to get out of the 1950s paradigm."

Tomorrow, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing on the unprecedented spate of recalls.

"This administration does not like regulation, this administration does not like spending money, and it has a hostility toward government. The poisonous result is that a program like the FDA is going to suffer at every turn of the road," said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the full House committee. Dingell is considering introducing legislation to boost the agency's accountability, regulatory authority and budget.

In the peanut butter case, an agency report shows that FDA inspectors checked into complaints about salmonella contamination in a ConAgra Foods factory in Georgia in 2005. But when company managers refused to provide documents the inspectors requested, the inspectors left and did not follow up.

A salmonella outbreak that began last August and was traced to the plant's Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter brands sickened more than 400 people in 44 states. The likely cause, ConAgra said, was moisture from a roof leak and a malfunctioning sprinkler system that activated dormant salmonella. The plant has since been closed.


The 2005 report shows that FDA inspectors were looking into "an alleged episode of positive findings of salmonella in peanut butter in October of 2004 that was related to new equipment and that the firm didn't react to, . . . insects in some equipment, water leaking onto product, and inability to track some product."

During the inspection, the report says, ConAgra admitted it had destroyed some product in October 2004 but would not say why.

"They asked for some of our documentation and we made the request to them that they put it in writing due to concerns about proprietary information," ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said last week. "We did not receive a written request, . . . they filed the report and that was that."

Until February of this year. That's when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the FDA of a spike in salmonella cases in states near the ConAgra plant. The agencies contacted the company, which initiated a recall and shut the plant for upgrades.

Brackett said that if the FDA inspector had seen anything truly dangerous the agency would have taken further action. But, he said, the agency cannot force a disclosure, a recall or a plant closure except in extreme circumstances, such as finding a hazardous batch of product.

The problem in 2005, he added, "doesn't necessarily connect to the salmonella outbreak right now. It's not unusual to have it in raw agricultural commodities."

The FDA has known even longer about illnesses among people who ate spinach and other greens from California's Salinas Valley, the source of outbreaks over the past six months that have killed three people and sickened more than 200 in 26 states. The subsequent recall was the largest ever for leafy vegetables.

In a letter sent to California growers in late 2005, Brackett wrote, "FDA is aware of 18 outbreaks of foodborne illness since 1995 caused by [E. coli bacteria] for which fresh or fresh-cut lettuce was implicated. . . . In one additional case, fresh-cut spinach was implicated. These 19 outbreaks account for approximately 409 reported cases of illness and two deaths."

"We know that there are still problems out in those fields," Brackett said in an interview last week. "We knew there had been a problem, but we never and probably still could not pinpoint where the problem was. We could have that capability, but not at this point."

According to Caroline Smith DeWaal, who heads the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer-advocacy group, "When budgets are tight . . . the food program at FDA gets hit the hardest."

In next year's budget, passed amid discovery of contamination problems in spinach, tomatoes and lettuce, Congress has voted the FDA a $10 million increase to improve food safety, DeWaal said. The Agriculture Department, which monitors meat, poultry and eggs and keeps inspectors in every processing plant, got an increase 10 times that amount to help pay for its inspection programs. The FDA visits problem food plants about once a year and the rest far less frequently, Brackett said.

William Hubbard, who retired as associate commissioner of the FDA in 2005 and founded the advocacy group Coalition for a Stronger FDA, said that when he joined the agency in the 1970s, its food safety arm claimed half its budget and personnel.

"Now it's about a quarter . . . at a time in which the problems have grown, the size of the industry has grown and imports of food have skyrocketed," Hubbard said.
 

Econ101

Well-known member
In the peanut butter case, an agency report shows that FDA inspectors checked into complaints about salmonella contamination in a ConAgra Foods factory in Georgia in 2005. But when company managers refused to provide documents the inspectors requested, the inspectors left and did not follow up.

"They asked for some of our documentation and we made the request to them that they put it in writing due to concerns about proprietary information," ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said last week. "We did....

Brackett said that if the FDA inspector had seen anything truly dangerous the agency would have taken further action. But, he said, the agency cannot force a disclosure, a recall or a plant closure except in extreme circumstances, such as finding a hazardous batch of product. not receive a written request, . . . they filed the report and that was that."

"We know that there are still problems out in those fields," Brackett said in an interview last week. "We knew there had been a problem, but we never and probably still could not pinpoint where the problem was. We could have that capability, but not at this point."

According to Caroline Smith DeWaal, who heads the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer-advocacy group, "When budgets are tight . . . the food program at FDA gets hit the hardest."

William Hubbard, who retired as associate commissioner of the FDA in 2005 and founded the advocacy group Coalition for a Stronger FDA, said that when he joined the agency in the 1970s, its food safety arm claimed half its budget and personnel.

"Now it's about a quarter . . . at a time in which the problems have grown, the size of the industry has grown and imports of food have skyrocketed," Hubbard said.

It is pretty clear that the food industry has more power over food safety than the regulators regulating them.

If the USDA/FDA is halted from doing an investigation because of a silly excuse of "proprietary information", maybe they should be relieved of their duty and get someone who can compel these companies to cooperate in an investigation.

Of course, the best idea is to make them all be licensed. If they don't cooperate, pull their license. NO MORE GAMES!!!
 

PORKER

Well-known member
FDA says probing "thousands" of hogs for tainted feed
Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:55PM EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday that "thousands" of U.S. hogs might be affected by the agency's investigation of livestock feed contaminated with melamine.

"I don't have the numbers on that right now but it potentially affects thousands of hogs," Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters. "Some of the hog operations were fairly sizable."

Note ; This could be catastrophic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

PORKER

Well-known member
SOUTH CAROLINA: Urine tests done on some of the 800 hogs now quarantined at a farm have tested positive for low levels of melamine. None went to slaughter. According to the state veterinarian, none of the suspect feed was fed to the hogs. Federal tests on the feed have come up negative. The positive urine tests could not be immediately explained. A what TEST???????????????????????????????????????

FDA today4:31 PM ET, it begins with opening remarks.

Capt David Elder, Mr. Kenneth Peterson from USDA, Dr. Daniel McChesney from CVM at FDA, Dr. David Atchinson.

Capt Elder: Working closely with USDA on ag aspects. Notifed state authorities that swine fed adulterated product will not be approved, although risk of illness is low.

Recapping rice protein contamination.

The contaminants include melamine and related compounds, including cynauric acid (sp?). Says melamine is not that toxic, but may be in combo with other compounds.

Dr. Peterson: Animal feed was adulterated, so USDA cannot rule out possiblity food produced from these animals wouldn’t be contaminated, so USDA can’t approve this meat if it’s produced for inspection. Will compensate farmers for swine that can’t be sold, and USDA will help with “depopulation activities” and disposal of swine.

Capt Elder: Coordinating with state authorities. CA KS CN NY OK SC UT (might have missed one)

6000 hogs. Quarantined or being held in their states.

Feed mill in MO might also have rec’d contaminated feed.

Peterson: Pork will also be destroyed. In CA and UT, pork is bring retained at the plant. In SC, swine being held. Authorities are trying to find out if any meat has “entered commerce.” If this has occurred, follow up action will be taken.

Capt Elder: If other producers are identified that fed contaminated feed, will be compensated.

Because the animal feed in question was adulterated, USDA cannot rule out the possibility that food produced from animals fed this product could also be adulterated. Therefore, USDA cannot place the mark of inspection on food produced from these animals.

USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize swine that were fed the adulterated product. USDA is authorized to use Section 32 funds to restore farmers’ purchasing power. USDA is also offering the expertise and assistance of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) personnel in carrying out depopulation activities, to ensure animals are euthanized and disposed of in accordance with Federal and State laws.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
DR. KEN PETERSON (FSIS, USDA): Thank you. This is Dr. Peterson, assistant administrator with FSIS. As you just heard, because the animal feed in question was adulterated, USDA cannot rule out the possibility that food produced from animals fed this product could also be adulterated. Therefore, should these animals be presented for slaughter, USDA cannot place the mark of inspection on any food that's produced from these animals, these swine. USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize swine that were fed the adulterated feed. USDA is authorized to use Section 32 funds to restore these farmers' purchasing power.

USDA is also offering the expertise and assistance of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service personnel in carrying out any depopulation activities to ensure that animals are euthanized and disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local laws. And we'll turn it back to FDA.

CAPTAIN ELDER ,: Thank you, Dr. Peterson. FDA and FSIS are coordinating with state authorities in eight states where the adulterated feed is known to have been purchased, 8 pork producers in the states of California, Kansas, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah are known to have purchased the feed. These combined operations involve approximately 6,000 hogs, all of the animals are currently being held under state quarantine in California, North Carolina and New York. In Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah, producers agreed to hold the animals until further notice.

Authorities are also in contact with a feed mill in Missouri that might have received adulterated feed.
 
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