Melamine may be Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Sunday, December 07, 2008 by: Susan Thixton
Tags: melamine, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Melamine continues to make headlines worldwide. The latest news has discovered the chemical in baby formula in the U.S., and more reports of melamine tainted eggs in Hong Kong. Even more startling is a report from a Chinese Veterinarian reporting melamine is just the tip of the iceberg of chemicals routinely added to animal feed ingredients exported to a world of pet food and animal feed manufacturers.

Epoch Times reports that Ms. Wang Haizhen, a veterinarian from a Chinese Animal Pharmaceutical company has gone public exposing corruption in China's food industry. Her claims are startling. She reports that as early as 2005 "several toxic substances including melamine were detected in some animal feed, resulting in contaminated milk power, eggs, and pork having entered the food market and harming consumers." She also reports that despite the contaminated Chinese baby formula incident, many companies continue to use risky chemicals.

According to Dr. Haizhen, some of those risky chemicals Chinese manufacturers commonly use in animal feed ingredients are melamine, Rh proteins, Lipiodol, Clenbuterol, attractant agents, "just to name a few". "But the chemicals and toxic materials they are adding can easily have carcinogenic effects. Some of these additives are more dangerous than melamine." http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/china/china-food...

In a separate article on Boxun News by ChinaFreePress.org, Dr. Haizhen reported the most dangerous chemical added to animal feed ingredients in China is rhodium iodide. "This chemical speeds up the birth process in animals, but when processed into food is a dangerous carcinogen, much more dangerous than melamine." http://www.boxun.us/news/publish/chinanews/M...

The U.S. is currently holding all Chinese imports of milk products until testing for melamine is completed. If we consider Dr. Haizhen's report, what isn't being tested for will cause as much harm, if not more, than melamine in Chinese imports? We've learned the hard way to test for melamine, what is our next lesson from Chinese imports? Furthermore, will we have to learn it the hard way too?

It is mind boggling to consider the worldwide effects of tainted animal feed ingredients. The Canadian Press reports a French farm co-op imported 270 tons of Chinese soybean meal found to be contaminated with melamine at 30 times the maximum level allowed. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpre...
A spokesman for the French co-op said the soybean meal was used to produce feed for organic poultry. Although this group reports the poultry tested free of melamine contamination, very little is known about the long term effects on humans or pets consuming meat producing animals fed melamine laced foods. Experience has proven that chickens fed melamine laced feed produce melamine tainted eggs.

With the information provided by Dr. Haizhen, at great risk (her husband is in prison for similar whistle blowing, she is currently in hiding), any Chinese imported animal feed and/or human food ingredients, are of certain risk to a world of consumers. Sadly, it could take years to discover a connection of a cancer or kidney disease in people and pets from tainted feed ingredients; either directly into the food or indirectly into a meat producing animal feed. Even worse, more than likely many connections will never be known. The most contentious consumer, searching high and low for organic meat and vegetables to feed their two or four legged family, would have no idea if the beef or chicken was fed risky chemical laced animal feed or if the soil organic vegetables grow in was fertilized with manure contained melamine or worse.

It is crystal clear China has a tremendous quality control problem. Furthermore, China's problem is putting the world at long term health risks. The FDA must begin to grasp the severity of this. People and pet food manufacturers must act immediately and stop using Chinese imported ingredients. Livestock producers must avoid protein enhanced feeds with Chinese ingredients. Consumers and petsumers must stop using any product that contains the slightest bit of Chinese imported ingredients. The risk is more than likely, far more serious than any of us realize.

Wishing you and your pet the best,

Susan Thixton

About the author

Susan Thixton has an international pet people following providing dog and cat lovers a trusted source for pet food and pet food ingredient information. She's been called courageous, perseverant, even "the Caped Crusader for Pets" for her 16 year study of pet food. Susan Thixton is the author of hundreds of pet industry articles and the 2006 released book Truth About Pet Food (currently being updated for a second edition). She developed and publishes the pet product consumer magazine Petsumer Report and is a frequent speaker and radio guest all over the U.S. and Canada with more than 70 appearances in the last 2 years.
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