Possibility That Human Food Was Contaminated Too
When I first heard about the pet food tainted by wheat gluten this was the first thing that crossed my mind:
"Tainted wheat gluten that triggered a massive nationwide pet food recall also ended up in processing plants that prepare food consumed by people, the Food and Drug Administration said yesterday. While agency leaders offered assurances that the nation's food supply remains safe, they said they cannot yet completely rule out contamination of human food by the suspect wheat gluten, which contained melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides.
According to import records, the wheat gluten was shipped to the United States from Nov. 3, 2006 to Jan. 23 of this year and contained "minimal labeling" to indicate whether it was intended for humans or animals. The vast majority went to pet food manufacturers and distributors, according to the FDA. But some of the processing plants that remain under FDA scrutiny make both human and pet food."
Meanwhile just as the Walter Reed scandal became worse the more it was looked into, this case ofpoisoned pet food is shining a light on industry practices that are disgusting beyond measure.
This essay isn't for the sqeamish:
"The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertiliser. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include roadkill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pet food industry claims that its products constitute a "complete and balanced diet" but, in reality, commercial pet food is unfit for human or animal consumption."
No, it doesn't expose the fact that you've been ripped off by buying "Savory Veal Slices in Gourmet Marinade" only to find out it's the same as Pricewise Meat Glop", although that's common enough. It exposes the unregulated rendering industry which has been a hidden crime and is threatened with unwanted exposure due to the current crisis. "As the public relations watchdog newsletter PR Watch observes, renderers "are thankful that most people remain blissfully unaware of their existence".
"Tainted wheat gluten that triggered a massive nationwide pet food recall also ended up in processing plants that prepare food consumed by people, the Food and Drug Administration said yesterday. While agency leaders offered assurances that the nation's food supply remains safe, they said they cannot yet completely rule out contamination of human food by the suspect wheat gluten, which contained melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides.
According to import records, the wheat gluten was shipped to the United States from Nov. 3, 2006 to Jan. 23 of this year and contained "minimal labeling" to indicate whether it was intended for humans or animals. The vast majority went to pet food manufacturers and distributors, according to the FDA. But some of the processing plants that remain under FDA scrutiny make both human and pet food."
Meanwhile just as the Walter Reed scandal became worse the more it was looked into, this case ofpoisoned pet food is shining a light on industry practices that are disgusting beyond measure.
This essay isn't for the sqeamish:
"The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertiliser. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include roadkill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pet food industry claims that its products constitute a "complete and balanced diet" but, in reality, commercial pet food is unfit for human or animal consumption."
No, it doesn't expose the fact that you've been ripped off by buying "Savory Veal Slices in Gourmet Marinade" only to find out it's the same as Pricewise Meat Glop", although that's common enough. It exposes the unregulated rendering industry which has been a hidden crime and is threatened with unwanted exposure due to the current crisis. "As the public relations watchdog newsletter PR Watch observes, renderers "are thankful that most people remain blissfully unaware of their existence".
posted by nolocontendere at 2:31 AM
2 Comments:
For the uneasy relationship between pet food, PETA and wheat gluten, see >> http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2007/04/peta-pet-food-and-wheat-gluten.html
Thanks for the link. The reporting on this ugly mess is abysmal, isn't it!
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