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Monday, April 30, 2007

Melamine Contamination Advances to Poultry Production...

Linda in Norman has given me another heads up on the now infamous 2007 Food Crisis.

None of us really have to worry about this latest joint announcement by the FDA and USDA.

Because the chickens that ate the tainted "foul feed" have been processed and consumed by us already.


Yes...

Another update has come this week. This time it is chickens that have consumed tainted feed.



Since the FDA isn't quite sure how these chemicals will affect humans, I propose the following:

We should go ahead and save all the pork and chicken, butcher it, freeze it, and then use it to feed inmates who are sentenced to life in prison or who are on death row.

You know, people are beginning to think that lethal injection isn't humane. So why not feed these people fried chicken and pork chops. They'll have a nice smile on their face while providing us with some beneficial scientific data.

I think these guys would be a good group to put in the test group as well.



Well, maybe they wouldn't eat the pork, but I think that they can eat rice cakes and chicken.


Actually, we probably should just ship it all back to China and cut our losses.


How many boatloads of that stuff have they been shipping us anyway?


Maybe it's time for us to make a change.


later...





Joint Update: FDA/USDA Trace Adulterated Animal Feed to Poultry


WASHINGTON, April 30, 2007 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have learned that byproducts from pet food manufactured with contaminated wheat gluten imported from China have been used in chicken feed on some farms in the state of Indiana. This information came to light as part of the continuing investigation into imported rice protein concentrate and wheat gluten that have been found to contain melamine and melamine-related compounds.

At this time, the investigation indicates that approximately 30 broiler poultry farms and eight breeder poultry farms in Indiana received contaminated feed in early February and fed it to poultry within days of receiving it. All of the broilers believed to have been fed contaminated product have since been processed. The breeders that were fed the contaminated product are under voluntary hold by the flock owners.

As with exposure from hogs fed contaminated pet food and for similar reasons related to the dilution of the contamination, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of illness after eating chicken fed the contaminated product is very low. Because there is no evidence of harm to humans associated with consumption of chicken fed the contaminated product, no recall of poultry products processed from these animals is being issued. Testing and the joint investigation continue. If any evidence surfaces to indicate there is harm to humans, the appropriate action will be taken.

Because the poultry being held have been fed adulterated products, USDA cannot knowingly approve products derived from these poultry for human consumption. USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize this poultry. USDA is also offering the expertise and assistance of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) personnel in carrying out depopulation activities, to ensure adherence to Federal and State laws.

FDA and USDA anticipate that as the investigation continues additional farms will likely be identified that received contaminated feed. As indicated in previous updates, FDA and USDA have also traced contaminated feed to swine farms in several states. The same procedures are being followed in relation to both swine and poultry; animals are being quarantined by state order or voluntarily held by the owners and USDA is offering compensation for depopulation and disposal of both swine and poultry that have been fed contaminated products.

USDA and FDA continue to conduct a full, comprehensive examination to protect the nation’s food supply and will provide updates as new information is confirmed.





Melamine and Melamine Related Compounds...

Pet Foods=Human Foods... It's All the Same Thing

Pet Food Recall Expands to Rice Protein...

Royal Canin States: We're Not Involved...

The Pet Food Recall Expands... Again.

FDA Announces: Melamine in Tainted Pet Foods...

Menu Foods Posts FAQ's Page...

Pet Food Recall...

Still Looking for Answers on the 2007 Pet Food Recall...

Menu Foods Pet Food Recall Update

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4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please tell me that they have stopped acceptiing anything from china because of this? i mean think about it.. if i were a conspirist type personality I'd say they did it on purpose.. see how much damage they could cause us.. but im not..

so I'll just say i hope really hope that the U.S is taking precatuions and not accepting imports from them until they can prove that they are actually doing something about this.

May 01, 2007 9:30 AM  
Blogger It's me, T.J. said...

Hey Wolfbaby...

Officials believe that the Chinese manufacturers did do this on purpose in order to raise the protein content of the product. The higher the protein content is the more valuable the product is per pound. They believe that this is the most likely reason why they did it.

However, I have the same misgivings about a "bio-terrorism" angle.

later...

May 01, 2007 2:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My sister's labrador suffered from kidney failure from eating Menu Food's melamine-contaminated product. He's sort of recovered now but you can tell the poisoning knocked the stuffing outta him - he's not his usual frisky self and is greatly weakened by this experience.

I cannot believe this melamine thing has crept into our food too! why can't manufacturers be more socially responsible? just to cut costs? just so that food could "look" like it has more protein? Argh, just makes me sick.

if you want to do more reading on this topic, here are a few links that are interesting:

A class action info directory that has a good history of the case

Washington Post's article on the affected chicken meat

May 04, 2007 2:08 AM  
Blogger It's me, T.J. said...

Hey V.J.

I'm glad your sister's dog is doing better.

You do realize that the manufacturers were dupped, right?

They thought they were buying high quality stuff because of the protein analysis. They didn't know it was "spiked".

later...

May 12, 2007 1:45 PM  

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