By STEVE DALE
McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT)
Veterinary toxicologists have been saying that melamine alone shouldn’t cause pets to die. Melamine tainted wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China that was found in the over 100 brands of recalled pet foods.
However, according to reports in veterinary journals, melamine, used in fertilizers in Asia and hard plastics, while it absolutely shouldn’t be in food, also shouldn’t be deadly.
Toxicologists have been searching for an explanation as to why the tainted food made so many pets sick or killed them, and are finally beginning to put the puzzle together.
Cyanuric acid, used in the chlorination process for swimming pools, was also found in the tainted pet foods. The pathology lab at the veterinary school at University of Guelph Veterinary College, Ontario, Canada, helped make the discovery (along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
Recent tests revealed that when melamine is combined with cyanuric acid, the same distinctive crystals form in cat urine as in the urine of pets who became ill or died from the tainted food. Clinical veterinary pathologist and veterinary toxicologist Dr. Brent Hoff, of the Animal Health Laboratory at Guelph Veterinary College, says, "There’s no question melamine and cyanuric acid form the identical crystals we’ve been looking for, but we still don’t know what causes the cells to die. Some of my colleagues are certain there’s another explanation for that."
In any case, no one can argue that cyanuric acid and melamine most certainly don’t belong in pet foods. And the question of how they got there looms large. Hoff speculates that cyanuric acid hikes nitrogen levels, which then results in seemingly higher protein levels in pet foods. Recent media reports suggests the Chinese did this intentionally as a cost-cutting measure, and has been doing so for years.
So what’s the real story as to how melamine or cyanuric acid got into pet foods? And should U.S. companies be culpable?
"We don’t really know, but we should know," says U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in a phone conversation. "We have a lot of trade agreements (with the Chinese). We sell a lot of food products and they sell to us. But we’re not asked to suspend our standards for health and safety; that’s one of the things a trade agreement can’t give away. When I called (the Chinese government representatives) and asked why they didn't issue visas in a timely fashion for the FDA (inspectors to inspect their facilities), they said the individual in charge retired. That’s a pretty lame excuse, to be honest with you."
Durbin continues that in a recent conversation with the Chinese ambassador, "He made it clear the items here (tainted wheat gluten and rice protein) were not meant for consumption, either animal or human. He said that’s clearly a part of the declaration of shipment. That was news to me. And we still haven’t verified that."
Durbin says that ultimately the U.S. be responsible for its own foods, both human and pet foods, not the Chinese or anyone else. He’s introduced a new food safety bill with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) (The Safe Food Act – S. 654 and H.R. 1148 in the U.S. Senate and House respectively).
"There’s no reason to believe that this (what occurred to contaminate pet foods) couldn’t have happened to human foods," adds Durbin. "When you consider the FDA inspects one out of about 100 shipments (of foods) that come into the U.S., the odds are 99 to one that something terrible is going to happen. I’ve been concerned about food safety for a very long time," he says. "It’s sad we’ve had to learn the hard way as so many pets have become sick or died."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 million people suffer food poisoning annually, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 of those die. No one knows (or likely will ever know) how many pets (mostly cats) died as a result of the tainted pet food outbreak. Clinical veterinary pathologist and veterinary toxicologist Dr. Brent Hoff, of the Animal Health Laboratory at Guelph Veterinary College, Ontario, Canada, suggests the final total will be around 100 per deaths in Canada and several hundred in the U.S. He says reports of thousands of pet deaths in the U.S. are likely exaggerated.
Still, as a result of nationwide recalls of not only pet foods, but also human foods in recent years, including tainted pork, spinach and peanut butter, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep. Rose DeLauro (D-CT) have introduced legislation intended to revise and update the nation’s food safety system.
These suggestions are included in the proposed Safe Food Act:
- Provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the authority to recall contaminated or dangerous foods, which the agency currently does not have, relying on industry to voluntarily pull products from stores.
- Establish an accurate early notification system for recalled human and pet foods. The legislation directs the FDA to work with vets and other professionals to disseminate information about pet food contamination.
- Improve the FDA’s ability to regulate imported food products. Shipments of the tainted food substances imported from China were not inspected by the FDA. In fact, the FDA inspects only about one percent of all food imports. The FDA currently does not certify that trading partners have food safety standards at least equivalent to those of the U.S. The bill would direct the FDA to establish a certification program with trading partners exporting to the U.S. Foreign safety systems and plants would be inspected by the FDA prior to certification. The Secretary would have authority to revoke certifications and deny importation if there’s a public health risk.
- A requirement that companies maintain records and make them accessible to the FDA. This provision would prevent delays in tracing contaminated foods. In the case of recalled peanut butter this past winter, an FDA report showed inspectors were denied documents.
Durbin agrees with this reporter’s suggestions that aside from a comprehensive Web site (which is easy to navigate and accurate), a toll-free number be created where consumers could learn about food recalls (human and pet foods). The number would operate 365 days, 24/7, offering up-to-date information on recalls for people without Web access or who find it difficult to navigate Web sites. Consumers could even call the number from cell phones when at retail stores if they were unsure about products.
Another suggestion: Fine retailers who don’t pull recalled items off shelves promptly. Perhaps, additionally to ask retailers to be sure scanners cannot check out recalled human or pet foods. This procedure could be expanded to include recalled toys, pharmaceuticals and other items.
Durbin called these suggestions quite reasonable. "They make good sense. It’s hard to imagine in this day and age with bar codes and scanners that we can’t stop the sale of a product once it’s recalled."
Of course, what concerns pet owners is tomorrow. What do they buy? Hoff urges pet owners not to give up on manufactured pet foods (though, for now, continue to be careful). He expressed concern about the practicality of owners mixing up their own pet foods in the kitchen, as well as worries about raw food diets.
"After a plane crash, the industry improves, and we continue to fly," says Durbin. "We’ve had a plane crash, but I’m optimistic and I really believe we’ll have safer manufactured pet foods as a result."
Durbin adds, "At the end of the day, I think the products that will be sold in the United States will be safer (pet foods and human foods). Unfortunately, there’s been a lot of pain and anguish to get to this moment. But I think those in the industry will understand they have to be much more careful with their products in the future. It also means the Food and Drug Administration has to do a better job. They really have to be sensitive to the fact that when there’s a contamination of any kind in these shipments, it can put at risk pet foods as well as human foods."
(Steve Dale welcomes questions and comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)AOL.com. Include your name, city and state. Steve's Web site is www.stevedalepetworld.com.
© 2007, Steve Dale. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.