Contaminated pet food sold to hog farm
Customers told not to eat pigs bought after April 3
Last Updated: April 21, 2007, 05:21:02 AM PDT
Pet food from a Lathrop plant has been linked to an
industrial chemical found in feed at a quarantined hog farm south of Ceres.
American Hog Farm on West Monte Vista Avenue was quarantined by state
officials Thursday after melamine, which is used to make plastics, was
found in feed and hogs' urine tests. The melamine at the hog farm is linked
to the recent nationwide recall of more than 100 brands of dog and cat
food.
State officials said there is a good chance the chemical did not
get into hog flesh that is eaten by humans. Still, they advised that until
further testing is completed, possibly by early next week, no one should
eat meat bought from the business after April 3. "As of right now, the
information would suggest a minimal risk from a health and safety perspective
to people who consume the product," said Dr. Kevin Reilly, deputy director
for prevention services at the California Department of Health
Services. The 1,500-animal operation specializes in selling butchered hogs directly to consumers, under a state license.
Close to 100 hogs were sold after the tainted feed began to be used
April 4, said Richard Breitmeyer, the state veterinarian. The state
is trying to notify those customers about the problem, using purchase
records at the business, he said. Under the firm's license, the meat must be
stamped "not for resale." Hog farm co-owner Don Agresti declined to talk at
length about the quarantine or his business but said he expected it to
be lifted soon. "It will be worked out," he said. "I don't have any
belief there's any problem." Hogs are a small part of agriculture in the
Northern San Joaquin Valley and statewide. Bought 'salvage pet food' The
California Department of Food and Agriculture said the farm bought "salvage
pet food" from the Diamond Pet Foods plant in Lathrop for use as feed.
The U.S.Food and Drug Administration, as part of its investigation into
the nationwide pet food problem, examined records at the Lathrop plant and determined that melamine-tainted material had gone to the farm, said Stephen
Sundlof, director of the agency's Center for Veterinary Medicine. The
melamine is believed to have come from China in a shipment of rice protein
concentrate, a pet food ingredient. Jim Fallon, a spokesman at Diamond's
headquarters in Meta, Mo., said the hog farm bought the pet food before
authorities notified his company that melamine had been shipped to the
Lathrop plant.
Fallon said the farm was the only agricultural buyer of tainted food
from that plant. Breitmeyer said feeding pet food to hogs is a "relatively
common" practice, especially among small producers such as the
one near Ceres. "It's often very adequate feed," he said. "It's broken
bags, spillage, that kind of thing." Hogs 'appear healthy' In a
statement, Diamond said the practice "is mindful of the environment as it
does not waste energy (food) and saves valuable landfill
space." The pets that have died from contaminated food likely
had long-term exposure to the chemical through their diet, but the
pigs at American Hog Farm likely were exposed about two weeks, Breitmeyer
said.
Breitmeyer said all the animals at the Ceres-area farm "appear
healthy" and the company is cooperating with the investigation. Reilly said
the scientific literature on melamine is slim, but it has been linked
to kidney damage in laboratory rodents and to skin, lung and digestive
irritation in people who handle it on the job. Bee staff writer Inga Miller
and The Associated Press contributed to this report. To comment, click
on the link with this story at
www.modbee.com. Bee staff writer John
Holland canbe reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.
Aaron Davis
Pet Advocate, Volunteer
Washington State
