FDA and USDA: Thousands of Swine Ate Contaminated Feed
About 6,000 hogs quarantined; USDA will compensate for depopulation.
Compiled by staff
Published: Apr 27, 2007
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified State authorities Thursday that swine at eight operations that ate food contaminated with melamine will not be approved to enter the food supply.
The adulterated feed is known to have been purchased by eight producers in California, Kansas, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah. FDA and FSIS are coordinating with State authorities in those states to keep the hogs - about 6,000 total at the combined operations - quarantined from the food supply.
Based on information currently available, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of human illness after eating such pork is very low; however, the agencies believe it is prudent to take these measures.
FDA determined that a shipment of rice protein imported from China was contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds. The rice protein was used in the production of pet food and a byproduct was used to produce animal feed.
Pork and pork products derived from animals that were fed the adulterated product will also be destroyed. USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize swine that were fed the adulterated product.
Permalink: Click here
Tagged: usda, FDA, Food and Drug Administration
|