Can anybody shed any light on this? Is it true?

[Guest guest]

Sunday, April 29

Tainted food from China: Before you reach for that vitamin bottle --

If you think tainted pet food is the only problem with our heavy

reliance on China for our food supplies, read on:

 

 

Earlier this spring, Europe narrowly averted disaster when a batch of

vitamin A from China was found to be contaminated with Enterobacter

sakazakii, which has been proved to cause infant deaths. Thankfully,

the defective vitamin A had not yet been incorporated into infant

formula. Next time we may not be so fortunate.

 

Currently, most of the world's vitamins are manufactured in China.

Unable to compete, the last U.S. plant making vitamin C closed a year

ago. One of Europe's largest citric acid plants shut last winter, and

only one vitamin C manufacturer operates in the West. Given China's

cheap labor, artificially low prices and the unfair competitive

climate it has foisted on the industry, few Western producers of food

ingredients can survive much longer.

 

Western companies have had to invest heavily in Chinese facilities.

These Western-owned plants follow strict standards and are generally

better managed than their locally owned counterparts. Nevertheless,

80 percent of the world's vitamin C is now manufactured in China --

much of it unregulated and some of it of questionable quality.

 

Europe is ahead of the United States in seeking greater

accountability and traceability in food safety and importation. But

even the European Union's " rapid alert system " is imperfect.

Additional action is required if the continent is to avoid

catastrophes.

 

Read more.

I had planned to leave discussion of the tainted food issue to other

bloggers, but this morning Dave Schuler (who is giving daily updates

on the pet food recalls) informed me that:

We still need to trace the distribution chain of the [contaminated]

rice gluten (not to mention the corn gluten). It's possible that the

rice gluten was used in baby food.

The contaminated food has already entered the human food chain:

[...] About 45 [California] residents ate pork from hogs that

consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. Melamine is used

to make plastics, but it also artificially boosts the protein level --

and thus the price -- of the glutens that go into food.

 

It was already fatal for some pets: 17 cats and dogs are confirmed

dead, more have likely died without being reported, thousands have

suffered kidney problems, and 57 brands of cat food and 83 of dog

food have been recalled. On top of that, roughly 6,000 hogs will be

destroyed because they ate tainted feed.

 

The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no

one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so

improbable that no one has even studied it.

 

But they are studying now. What last month was a limited recall of

canned pet food is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged public

health scare, potentially overwhelming government agencies and

raising troubling questions about U.S. food safety in the global

economy and in the post-Sept. 11 era.

 

The Food and Drug Administration, criticized by some in Congress for

responding too slowly, is struggling to catch up with the

implications of the spread of melamine-contaminated glutens from

China to hogs, and the human food chain. The FDA is still trying to

get its investigators into China, where a skeptical government only

last week assented to investigators' visa requests.

 

At a time when food imports are growing, and only 1 percent to 2

percent of food imports receive any government scrutiny, critics say

the scare reveals the shortcomings of a weakened food safety

bureaucracy, the inadequacy of existing regulations and the inability

of the FDA, which has suffered significant cutbacks, to protect the

food supply. [...]

 

[...] The FDA is also examining imported vegetable proteins earmarked

for human products like pizza, protein bars and baby formula. That

investigation, still in its early stages, hasn't uncovered any

contaminated ingredients, but the agency, an FDA doctor said, wanted

to " get ahead of the curve. "

 

The melamine-laced food reached hogs because surplus pet food†"

crumbled and broken food bits rejected as unsuitable for dogs or cats†"

was sent to hog farms and turned into feed. The FDA says bulk

shipments of feed were delivered to hog farmers in California, Utah,

Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.

FDA officials said they were also concerned that contaminated

livestock feed may have been shipped to Missouri. [...]

 

Even as the tainted wheat gluten cases have multiplied, the FDA has

learned of another problem: Chinese rice protein. U.S. importer

Wilbur-Ellis told the agency that a single bag of rice protein that

it had imported tested positive for the presence of melamine. Wilbur-

Ellis imported the rice from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. in

China's Shandong province. In the U.S., the protein went to five U.S.

pet food makers in Utah, New York, Kansas and Missouri.

 

While the FDA has targeted select states for hog inspections, the pet

food recall and the large number of sick cats and dogs have

overwhelmed state agencies that often only investigate a dozen pet

food complaints a year. The FDA says about 400 employees across the

country are collecting pet food samples, monitoring the recalls'

effectiveness and preparing complaints.

 

The investigation's progress in Illinois alone illustrates the

problem.

 

About half of the 32 FDA investigators in the state have worked on

responding to more than 500 complaints of sick or deceased dogs and

cats since the recalls began March 16. They must collect medical

records from veterinarians and gather samples of contaminated pet

food.

 

The office is also involved in recall effectiveness. " It's very

taxing on our resources, " said Scott MacIntire, director of the FDA's

Chicago office, which oversees state operations.

 

MacIntire said his office is investigating a shipment of rice protein

concentrate imported to Illinois and potentially used in a human

product.

 

Nationwide, the FDA has only enough inspectors to check 1 percent to

2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.

 

" We don't have the resources or the capabilities to test every single

shipment of every single food item that crosses into our country or

into our state borders, " said Frank Busta, director of the National

Center for Food Protection and Defense.

 

Stupak is among a small number in Congress who for several years have

pressed for stiffer food safety regulations. He said legislation

likely to pass this year could include a provision giving the FDA

authority to order food processors to recall questionable items.

 

Currently, the FDA can issue mandatory recall orders only for baby

formula [...]

 

Read more

The foreign relations angle is so obvious as to scarcely need

comment. If Beijing does not cooperate in full with the FDA in the

coming week, the US Department of State needs to lodge a diplomatic

protest -- and the Bush administration needs to follow up with strong

action if the Chinese continue to be obstructive.

 

We are staring down the barrel of a tragedy that could make the SARS

epidemic look like nothing. But last week, in a communication with me

about the first article in this post, Dave holds US food importers

responsible as well:

One of the aspects that I find most troubling in all of this is that

so many companies apparently see no need to do due diligence and

actually know anything about their overseas suppliers. As best as I

can tell they're judging by price lists alone. Quality, reliability,

etc. play little role.

 

[...] China is, in effect, operating as one huge monopoly. We have no

idea what their costs of production are and, in all probability,

neither do they. All we see is prices and it's not clear, at least to

me, how price signals are communicated in a command economy.

To which I can only add, " a very opaque monopoly. "

 

Noon Update

From today's Washington Post:

 

 

FDA, USDA Won't Recall Pork Over Tainted Pet Food

Two federal agencies said yesterday that a contining investigation

affirms that the risk to humans from hogs that may have eaten

contaminated pet food is very low and that no recall is warranted.

The agencies couldn't have thrown together studies so quickly to

determine the harm to humans from ingesting processed pork products

that contain melamine.

 

 

# posted by Pundita : 4/29/2007 10:17:00 AM

 

http://pundita.blogspot.com/2007/04/tainted-food-from-china-before-

you.html

[Guest guest]

Well in todays paper thjey said it was the wheat itself that was tained with the Melamine so now they are freaked out because it was sent to other places for food..So far they are only admitting to Canada.Hmm!! May <luellamay129 wrote: Sunday, April 29 Tainted food from China: Before you reach for that vitamin bottle -- If you think tainted pet food is the only problem with our heavy reliance on China for our food supplies, read on: Earlier this spring, Europe narrowly averted disaster when a

batch of vitamin A from China was found to be contaminated with Enterobacter sakazakii, which has been proved to cause infant deaths. Thankfully, the defective vitamin A had not yet been incorporated into infant formula. Next time we may not be so fortunate. Currently, most of the world's vitamins are manufactured in China. Unable to compete, the last U.S. plant making vitamin C closed a year ago. One of Europe's largest citric acid plants shut last winter, and only one vitamin C manufacturer operates in the West. Given China's cheap labor, artificially low prices and the unfair competitive climate it has foisted on the industry, few Western producers of food ingredients can survive much longer. Western companies have had to invest heavily in Chinese facilities. These Western-owned plants follow strict standards and are generally better managed than their locally owned counterparts. Nevertheless,

80 percent of the world's vitamin C is now manufactured in China -- much of it unregulated and some of it of questionable quality. Europe is ahead of the United States in seeking greater accountability and traceability in food safety and importation. But even the European Union's "rapid alert system" is imperfect. Additional action is required if the continent is to avoid catastrophes. Read more. I had planned to leave discussion of the tainted food issue to other bloggers, but this morning Dave Schuler (who is giving daily updates on the pet food recalls) informed me that: We still need to trace the distribution chain of the [contaminated] rice gluten (not to mention the corn gluten). It's possible that the rice gluten was used in baby food. The contaminated food has already entered the human food chain: [...] About 45 [California] residents ate pork from hogs that consumed animal

feed laced with melamine from China. Melamine is used to make plastics, but it also artificially boosts the protein level -- and thus the price -- of the glutens that go into food. It was already fatal for some pets: 17 cats and dogs are confirmed dead, more have likely died without being reported, thousands have suffered kidney problems, and 57 brands of cat food and 83 of dog food have been recalled. On top of that, roughly 6,000 hogs will be destroyed because they ate tainted feed. The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so improbable that no one has even studied it. But they are studying now. What last month was a limited recall of canned pet food is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged public health scare, potentially overwhelming government agencies and raising troubling questions about U.S. food

safety in the global economy and in the post-Sept. 11 era. The Food and Drug Administration, criticized by some in Congress for responding too slowly, is struggling to catch up with the implications of the spread of melamine-contaminated glutens from China to hogs, and the human food chain. The FDA is still trying to get its investigators into China, where a skeptical government only last week assented to investigators' visa requests. At a time when food imports are growing, and only 1 percent to 2 percent of food imports receive any government scrutiny, critics say the scare reveals the shortcomings of a weakened food safety bureaucracy, the inadequacy of existing regulations and the inability of the FDA, which has suffered significant cutbacks, to protect the food supply. [...] [...] The FDA is also examining imported vegetable proteins earmarked for human products like pizza,

protein bars and baby formula. That investigation, still in its early stages, hasn't uncovered any contaminated ingredients, but the agency, an FDA doctor said, wanted to "get ahead of the curve." The melamine-laced food reached hogs because surplus pet foodâ€" crumbled and broken food bits rejected as unsuitable for dogs or catsâ€" was sent to hog farms and turned into feed. The FDA says bulk shipments of feed were delivered to hog farmers in California, Utah, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina. FDA officials said they were also concerned that contaminated livestock feed may have been shipped to Missouri. [...] Even as the tainted wheat gluten cases have multiplied, the FDA has learned of another problem: Chinese rice protein. U.S. importer Wilbur-Ellis told the agency that a single bag of rice protein that it had imported tested positive for the presence of

melamine. Wilbur- Ellis imported the rice from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. in China's Shandong province. In the U.S., the protein went to five U.S. pet food makers in Utah, New York, Kansas and Missouri. While the FDA has targeted select states for hog inspections, the pet food recall and the large number of sick cats and dogs have overwhelmed state agencies that often only investigate a dozen pet food complaints a year. The FDA says about 400 employees across the country are collecting pet food samples, monitoring the recalls' effectiveness and preparing complaints. The investigation's progress in Illinois alone illustrates the problem. About half of the 32 FDA investigators in the state have worked on responding to more than 500 complaints of sick or deceased dogs and cats since the recalls began March 16. They must collect medical records from veterinarians and gather

samples of contaminated pet food. The office is also involved in recall effectiveness. "It's very taxing on our resources," said Scott MacIntire, director of the FDA's Chicago office, which oversees state operations. MacIntire said his office is investigating a shipment of rice protein concentrate imported to Illinois and potentially used in a human product. Nationwide, the FDA has only enough inspectors to check 1 percent to 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006. "We don't have the resources or the capabilities to test every single shipment of every single food item that crosses into our country or into our state borders," said Frank Busta, director of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense. Stupak is among a small number in Congress who for several years have pressed for stiffer food safety regulations. He said legislation likely to pass

this year could include a provision giving the FDA authority to order food processors to recall questionable items. Currently, the FDA can issue mandatory recall orders only for baby formula [...] Read more The foreign relations angle is so obvious as to scarcely need comment. If Beijing does not cooperate in full with the FDA in the coming week, the US Department of State needs to lodge a diplomatic protest -- and the Bush administration needs to follow up with strong action if the Chinese continue to be obstructive. We are staring down the barrel of a tragedy that could make the SARS epidemic look like nothing. But last week, in a communication with me about the first article in this post, Dave holds US food importers responsible as well: One of the aspects that I find most troubling in all of this is that so many companies apparently see no need to do due diligence and actually

know anything about their overseas suppliers. As best as I can tell they're judging by price lists alone. Quality, reliability, etc. play little role. [...] China is, in effect, operating as one huge monopoly. We have no idea what their costs of production are and, in all probability, neither do they. All we see is prices and it's not clear, at least to me, how price signals are communicated in a command economy. To which I can only add, "a very opaque monopoly." Noon Update From today's Washington Post: FDA, USDA Won't Recall Pork Over Tainted Pet Food Two federal agencies said yesterday that a contining investigation affirms that the risk to humans from hogs that may have eaten contaminated pet food is very low and that no recall is warranted. The agencies couldn't have thrown together studies so quickly to determine the harm to humans from ingesting processed pork products that

contain melamine. # posted by Pundita : 4/29/2007 10:17:00 AM http://pundita.blogspot.com/2007/04/tainted-food-from-china-before- you.html Need Mail bonding?Go to the Mail Q&A for great tips from Answers users.

Finding fabulous fares is fun.Let FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains.

[Guest guest]

This article actually made me sick. Is this a new population control

method?

 

 

 

oleander soup , " May " <luellamay129

wrote:

>

> Sunday, April 29

> Tainted food from China: Before you reach for that vitamin bottle --

> If you think tainted pet food is the only problem with our heavy

> reliance on China for our food supplies, read on:

>

>

> Earlier this spring, Europe narrowly averted disaster when a batch

of

> vitamin A from China was found to be contaminated with Enterobacter

> sakazakii, which has been proved to cause infant deaths.

Thankfully,

> the defective vitamin A had not yet been incorporated into infant

> formula. Next time we may not be so fortunate.

>

> Currently, most of the world's vitamins are manufactured in China.

> Unable to compete, the last U.S. plant making vitamin C closed a

year

> ago. One of Europe's largest citric acid plants shut last winter,

and

> only one vitamin C manufacturer operates in the West. Given China's

> cheap labor, artificially low prices and the unfair competitive

> climate it has foisted on the industry, few Western producers of

food

> ingredients can survive much longer.

>

> Western companies have had to invest heavily in Chinese facilities.

> These Western-owned plants follow strict standards and are

generally

> better managed than their locally owned counterparts. Nevertheless,

> 80 percent of the world's vitamin C is now manufactured in China --

> much of it unregulated and some of it of questionable quality.

>

> Europe is ahead of the United States in seeking greater

> accountability and traceability in food safety and importation. But

> even the European Union's " rapid alert system " is imperfect.

> Additional action is required if the continent is to avoid

> catastrophes.

>

> Read more.

> I had planned to leave discussion of the tainted food issue to

other

> bloggers, but this morning Dave Schuler (who is giving daily

updates

> on the pet food recalls) informed me that:

> We still need to trace the distribution chain of the [contaminated]

> rice gluten (not to mention the corn gluten). It's possible that

the

> rice gluten was used in baby food.

> The contaminated food has already entered the human food chain:

> [...] About 45 [California] residents ate pork from hogs that

> consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. Melamine is

used

> to make plastics, but it also artificially boosts the protein

level --

> and thus the price -- of the glutens that go into food.

>

> It was already fatal for some pets: 17 cats and dogs are confirmed

> dead, more have likely died without being reported, thousands have

> suffered kidney problems, and 57 brands of cat food and 83 of dog

> food have been recalled. On top of that, roughly 6,000 hogs will be

> destroyed because they ate tainted feed.

>

> The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no

> one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so

> improbable that no one has even studied it.

>

> But they are studying now. What last month was a limited recall of

> canned pet food is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged public

> health scare, potentially overwhelming government agencies and

> raising troubling questions about U.S. food safety in the global

> economy and in the post-Sept. 11 era.

>

> The Food and Drug Administration, criticized by some in Congress

for

> responding too slowly, is struggling to catch up with the

> implications of the spread of melamine-contaminated glutens from

> China to hogs, and the human food chain. The FDA is still trying to

> get its investigators into China, where a skeptical government only

> last week assented to investigators' visa requests.

>

> At a time when food imports are growing, and only 1 percent to 2

> percent of food imports receive any government scrutiny, critics

say

> the scare reveals the shortcomings of a weakened food safety

> bureaucracy, the inadequacy of existing regulations and the

inability

> of the FDA, which has suffered significant cutbacks, to protect the

> food supply. [...]

>

> [...] The FDA is also examining imported vegetable proteins

earmarked

> for human products like pizza, protein bars and baby formula. That

> investigation, still in its early stages, hasn't uncovered any

> contaminated ingredients, but the agency, an FDA doctor said,

wanted

> to " get ahead of the curve. "

>

> The melamine-laced food reached hogs because surplus pet food�� "

> crumbled and broken food bits rejected as unsuitable for dogs or

cats�� "

> was sent to hog farms and turned into feed. The FDA says bulk

> shipments of feed were delivered to hog farmers in California,

Utah,

> Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, North Carolina and South

Carolina.

> FDA officials said they were also concerned that contaminated

> livestock feed may have been shipped to Missouri. [...]

>

> Even as the tainted wheat gluten cases have multiplied, the FDA has

> learned of another problem: Chinese rice protein. U.S. importer

> Wilbur-Ellis told the agency that a single bag of rice protein that

> it had imported tested positive for the presence of melamine.

Wilbur-

> Ellis imported the rice from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co.

in

> China's Shandong province. In the U.S., the protein went to five

U.S.

> pet food makers in Utah, New York, Kansas and Missouri.

>

> While the FDA has targeted select states for hog inspections, the

pet

> food recall and the large number of sick cats and dogs have

> overwhelmed state agencies that often only investigate a dozen pet

> food complaints a year. The FDA says about 400 employees across the

> country are collecting pet food samples, monitoring the recalls'

> effectiveness and preparing complaints.

>

> The investigation's progress in Illinois alone illustrates the

> problem.

>

> About half of the 32 FDA investigators in the state have worked on

> responding to more than 500 complaints of sick or deceased dogs and

> cats since the recalls began March 16. They must collect medical

> records from veterinarians and gather samples of contaminated pet

> food.

>

> The office is also involved in recall effectiveness. " It's very

> taxing on our resources, " said Scott MacIntire, director of the

FDA's

> Chicago office, which oversees state operations.

>

> MacIntire said his office is investigating a shipment of rice

protein

> concentrate imported to Illinois and potentially used in a human

> product.

>

> Nationwide, the FDA has only enough inspectors to check 1 percent

to

> 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.

>

> " We don't have the resources or the capabilities to test every

single

> shipment of every single food item that crosses into our country or

> into our state borders, " said Frank Busta, director of the National

> Center for Food Protection and Defense.

>

> Stupak is among a small number in Congress who for several years

have

> pressed for stiffer food safety regulations. He said legislation

> likely to pass this year could include a provision giving the FDA

> authority to order food processors to recall questionable items.

>

> Currently, the FDA can issue mandatory recall orders only for baby

> formula [...]

>

> Read more

> The foreign relations angle is so obvious as to scarcely need

> comment. If Beijing does not cooperate in full with the FDA in the

> coming week, the US Department of State needs to lodge a diplomatic

> protest -- and the Bush administration needs to follow up with

strong

> action if the Chinese continue to be obstructive.

>

> We are staring down the barrel of a tragedy that could make the

SARS

> epidemic look like nothing. But last week, in a communication with

me

> about the first article in this post, Dave holds US food importers

> responsible as well:

> One of the aspects that I find most troubling in all of this is

that

> so many companies apparently see no need to do due diligence and

> actually know anything about their overseas suppliers. As best as I

> can tell they're judging by price lists alone. Quality,

reliability,

> etc. play little role.

>

> [...] China is, in effect, operating as one huge monopoly. We have

no

> idea what their costs of production are and, in all probability,

> neither do they. All we see is prices and it's not clear, at least

to

> me, how price signals are communicated in a command economy.

> To which I can only add, " a very opaque monopoly. "

>

> Noon Update

> From today's Washington Post:

>

>

> FDA, USDA Won't Recall Pork Over Tainted Pet Food

> Two federal agencies said yesterday that a contining investigation

> affirms that the risk to humans from hogs that may have eaten

> contaminated pet food is very low and that no recall is warranted.

> The agencies couldn't have thrown together studies so quickly to

> determine the harm to humans from ingesting processed pork products

> that contain melamine.

>

>

> # posted by Pundita : 4/29/2007 10:17:00 AM

>

> http://pundita.blogspot.com/2007/04/tainted-food-from-china-before-

> you.html

>

[Guest guest]

It is certainly frightening - and it points out the insanity of

spending manpower on persecuting herbs and supplements when dangers

such as this exist!

 

 

oleander soup , " May " <luellamay129

wrote:

>

> This article actually made me sick. Is this a new population control

> method?

>

>

>

> oleander soup , " May " <luellamay129@>

> wrote:

> >

> > Sunday, April 29

> > Tainted food from China: Before you reach for that vitamin bottle --

> > If you think tainted pet food is the only problem with our heavy

> > reliance on China for our food supplies, read on:

> >

> >

> > Earlier this spring, Europe narrowly averted disaster when a batch

> of

> > vitamin A from China was found to be contaminated with Enterobacter

> > sakazakii, which has been proved to cause infant deaths.

> Thankfully,

> > the defective vitamin A had not yet been incorporated into infant

> > formula. Next time we may not be so fortunate.

> >

> > Currently, most of the world's vitamins are manufactured in China.

> > Unable to compete, the last U.S. plant making vitamin C closed a

> year

> > ago. One of Europe's largest citric acid plants shut last winter,

> and

> > only one vitamin C manufacturer operates in the West. Given China's

> > cheap labor, artificially low prices and the unfair competitive

> > climate it has foisted on the industry, few Western producers of

> food

> > ingredients can survive much longer.

> >

> > Western companies have had to invest heavily in Chinese facilities.

> > These Western-owned plants follow strict standards and are

> generally

> > better managed than their locally owned counterparts. Nevertheless,

> > 80 percent of the world's vitamin C is now manufactured in China --

> > much of it unregulated and some of it of questionable quality.

> >

> > Europe is ahead of the United States in seeking greater

> > accountability and traceability in food safety and importation. But

> > even the European Union's " rapid alert system " is imperfect.

> > Additional action is required if the continent is to avoid

> > catastrophes.

> >

> > Read more.

> > I had planned to leave discussion of the tainted food issue to

> other

> > bloggers, but this morning Dave Schuler (who is giving daily

> updates

> > on the pet food recalls) informed me that:

> > We still need to trace the distribution chain of the [contaminated]

> > rice gluten (not to mention the corn gluten). It's possible that

> the

> > rice gluten was used in baby food.

> > The contaminated food has already entered the human food chain:

> > [...] About 45 [California] residents ate pork from hogs that

> > consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. Melamine is

> used

> > to make plastics, but it also artificially boosts the protein

> level --

> > and thus the price -- of the glutens that go into food.

> >

> > It was already fatal for some pets: 17 cats and dogs are confirmed

> > dead, more have likely died without being reported, thousands have

> > suffered kidney problems, and 57 brands of cat food and 83 of dog

> > food have been recalled. On top of that, roughly 6,000 hogs will be

> > destroyed because they ate tainted feed.

> >

> > The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no

> > one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so

> > improbable that no one has even studied it.

> >

> > But they are studying now. What last month was a limited recall of

> > canned pet food is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged public

> > health scare, potentially overwhelming government agencies and

> > raising troubling questions about U.S. food safety in the global

> > economy and in the post-Sept. 11 era.

> >

> > The Food and Drug Administration, criticized by some in Congress

> for

> > responding too slowly, is struggling to catch up with the

> > implications of the spread of melamine-contaminated glutens from

> > China to hogs, and the human food chain. The FDA is still trying to

> > get its investigators into China, where a skeptical government only

> > last week assented to investigators' visa requests.

> >

> > At a time when food imports are growing, and only 1 percent to 2

> > percent of food imports receive any government scrutiny, critics

> say

> > the scare reveals the shortcomings of a weakened food safety

> > bureaucracy, the inadequacy of existing regulations and the

> inability

> > of the FDA, which has suffered significant cutbacks, to protect the

> > food supply. [...]

> >

> > [...] The FDA is also examining imported vegetable proteins

> earmarked

> > for human products like pizza, protein bars and baby formula. That

> > investigation, still in its early stages, hasn't uncovered any

> > contaminated ingredients, but the agency, an FDA doctor said,

> wanted

> > to " get ahead of the curve. "

> >

> > The melamine-laced food reached hogs because surplus pet food�� "

> > crumbled and broken food bits rejected as unsuitable for dogs or

> cats�� "

> > was sent to hog farms and turned into feed. The FDA says bulk

> > shipments of feed were delivered to hog farmers in California,

> Utah,

> > Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, North Carolina and South

> Carolina.

> > FDA officials said they were also concerned that contaminated

> > livestock feed may have been shipped to Missouri. [...]

> >

> > Even as the tainted wheat gluten cases have multiplied, the FDA has

> > learned of another problem: Chinese rice protein. U.S. importer

> > Wilbur-Ellis told the agency that a single bag of rice protein that

> > it had imported tested positive for the presence of melamine.

> Wilbur-

> > Ellis imported the rice from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co.

> in

> > China's Shandong province. In the U.S., the protein went to five

> U.S.

> > pet food makers in Utah, New York, Kansas and Missouri.

> >

> > While the FDA has targeted select states for hog inspections, the

> pet

> > food recall and the large number of sick cats and dogs have

> > overwhelmed state agencies that often only investigate a dozen pet

> > food complaints a year. The FDA says about 400 employees across the

> > country are collecting pet food samples, monitoring the recalls'

> > effectiveness and preparing complaints.

> >

> > The investigation's progress in Illinois alone illustrates the

> > problem.

> >

> > About half of the 32 FDA investigators in the state have worked on

> > responding to more than 500 complaints of sick or deceased dogs and

> > cats since the recalls began March 16. They must collect medical

> > records from veterinarians and gather samples of contaminated pet

> > food.

> >

> > The office is also involved in recall effectiveness. " It's very

> > taxing on our resources, " said Scott MacIntire, director of the

> FDA's

> > Chicago office, which oversees state operations.

> >

> > MacIntire said his office is investigating a shipment of rice

> protein

> > concentrate imported to Illinois and potentially used in a human

> > product.

> >

> > Nationwide, the FDA has only enough inspectors to check 1 percent

> to

> > 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.

> >

> > " We don't have the resources or the capabilities to test every

> single

> > shipment of every single food item that crosses into our country or

> > into our state borders, " said Frank Busta, director of the National

> > Center for Food Protection and Defense.

> >

> > Stupak is among a small number in Congress who for several years

> have

> > pressed for stiffer food safety regulations. He said legislation

> > likely to pass this year could include a provision giving the FDA

> > authority to order food processors to recall questionable items.

> >

> > Currently, the FDA can issue mandatory recall orders only for baby

> > formula [...]

> >

> > Read more

> > The foreign relations angle is so obvious as to scarcely need

> > comment. If Beijing does not cooperate in full with the FDA in the

> > coming week, the US Department of State needs to lodge a diplomatic

> > protest -- and the Bush administration needs to follow up with

> strong

> > action if the Chinese continue to be obstructive.

> >

> > We are staring down the barrel of a tragedy that could make the

> SARS

> > epidemic look like nothing. But last week, in a communication with

> me

> > about the first article in this post, Dave holds US food importers

> > responsible as well:

> > One of the aspects that I find most troubling in all of this is

> that

> > so many companies apparently see no need to do due diligence and

> > actually know anything about their overseas suppliers. As best as I

> > can tell they're judging by price lists alone. Quality,

> reliability,

> > etc. play little role.

> >

> > [...] China is, in effect, operating as one huge monopoly. We have

> no

> > idea what their costs of production are and, in all probability,

> > neither do they. All we see is prices and it's not clear, at least

> to

> > me, how price signals are communicated in a command economy.

> > To which I can only add, " a very opaque monopoly. "

> >

> > Noon Update

> > From today's Washington Post:

> >

> >

> > FDA, USDA Won't Recall Pork Over Tainted Pet Food

> > Two federal agencies said yesterday that a contining investigation

> > affirms that the risk to humans from hogs that may have eaten

> > contaminated pet food is very low and that no recall is warranted.

> > The agencies couldn't have thrown together studies so quickly to

> > determine the harm to humans from ingesting processed pork products

> > that contain melamine.

> >

> >

> > # posted by Pundita : 4/29/2007 10:17:00 AM

> >

> > http://pundita.blogspot.com/2007/04/tainted-food-from-china-before-

> > you.html

> >

>

[Guest guest]

This is true. I think they're all insane. Seriously.

 

 

 

oleander soup , " Tony " wrote:

>

> It is certainly frightening - and it points out the insanity of

> spending manpower on persecuting herbs and supplements when dangers

> such as this exist!

>

> >

> oleander soup , " May " <luellamay129@>

> wrote:

> >

> > This article actually made me sick. Is this a new population

control

> > method?

> >

> >

> >

> > oleander soup , " May " <luellamay129@>

> > wrote:

> > >

> > > Sunday, April 29

> > > Tainted food from China: Before you reach for that vitamin

bottle --

> > > If you think tainted pet food is the only problem with our

heavy

> > > reliance on China for our food supplies, read on:

> > >

> > >

> > > Earlier this spring, Europe narrowly averted disaster when a

batch

> > of

> > > vitamin A from China was found to be contaminated with

Enterobacter

> > > sakazakii, which has been proved to cause infant deaths.

> > Thankfully,

> > > the defective vitamin A had not yet been incorporated into

infant

> > > formula. Next time we may not be so fortunate.

> > >

> > > Currently, most of the world's vitamins are manufactured in

China.

> > > Unable to compete, the last U.S. plant making vitamin C closed

a

> > year

> > > ago. One of Europe's largest citric acid plants shut last

winter,

> > and

> > > only one vitamin C manufacturer operates in the West. Given

China's

> > > cheap labor, artificially low prices and the unfair competitive

> > > climate it has foisted on the industry, few Western producers

of

> > food

> > > ingredients can survive much longer.

> > >

> > > Western companies have had to invest heavily in Chinese

facilities.

> > > These Western-owned plants follow strict standards and are

> > generally

> > > better managed than their locally owned counterparts.

Nevertheless,

> > > 80 percent of the world's vitamin C is now manufactured in

China --

> > > much of it unregulated and some of it of questionable quality.

> > >

> > > Europe is ahead of the United States in seeking greater

> > > accountability and traceability in food safety and importation.

But

> > > even the European Union's " rapid alert system " is imperfect.

> > > Additional action is required if the continent is to avoid

> > > catastrophes.

> > >

> > > Read more.

> > > I had planned to leave discussion of the tainted food issue to

> > other

> > > bloggers, but this morning Dave Schuler (who is giving daily

> > updates

> > > on the pet food recalls) informed me that:

> > > We still need to trace the distribution chain of the

[contaminated]

> > > rice gluten (not to mention the corn gluten). It's possible

that

> > the

> > > rice gluten was used in baby food.

> > > The contaminated food has already entered the human food chain:

> > > [...] About 45 [California] residents ate pork from hogs that

> > > consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. Melamine

is

> > used

> > > to make plastics, but it also artificially boosts the protein

> > level --

> > > and thus the price -- of the glutens that go into food.

> > >

> > > It was already fatal for some pets: 17 cats and dogs are

confirmed

> > > dead, more have likely died without being reported, thousands

have

> > > suffered kidney problems, and 57 brands of cat food and 83 of

dog

> > > food have been recalled. On top of that, roughly 6,000 hogs

will be

> > > destroyed because they ate tainted feed.

> > >

> > > The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal,

but no

> > > one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so

> > > improbable that no one has even studied it.

> > >

> > > But they are studying now. What last month was a limited recall

of

> > > canned pet food is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged

public

> > > health scare, potentially overwhelming government agencies and

> > > raising troubling questions about U.S. food safety in the

global

> > > economy and in the post-Sept. 11 era.

> > >

> > > The Food and Drug Administration, criticized by some in

Congress

> > for

> > > responding too slowly, is struggling to catch up with the

> > > implications of the spread of melamine-contaminated glutens

from

> > > China to hogs, and the human food chain. The FDA is still

trying to

> > > get its investigators into China, where a skeptical government

only

> > > last week assented to investigators' visa requests.

> > >

> > > At a time when food imports are growing, and only 1 percent to

2

> > > percent of food imports receive any government scrutiny,

critics

> > say

> > > the scare reveals the shortcomings of a weakened food safety

> > > bureaucracy, the inadequacy of existing regulations and the

> > inability

> > > of the FDA, which has suffered significant cutbacks, to protect

the

> > > food supply. [...]

> > >

> > > [...] The FDA is also examining imported vegetable proteins

> > earmarked

> > > for human products like pizza, protein bars and baby formula.

That

> > > investigation, still in its early stages, hasn't uncovered any

> > > contaminated ingredients, but the agency, an FDA doctor said,

> > wanted

> > > to " get ahead of the curve. "

> > >

> > > The melamine-laced food reached hogs because surplus pet

food�� "

> > > crumbled and broken food bits rejected as unsuitable for dogs

or

> > cats�� "

> > > was sent to hog farms and turned into feed. The FDA says bulk

> > > shipments of feed were delivered to hog farmers in California,

> > Utah,

> > > Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, North Carolina and South

> > Carolina.

> > > FDA officials said they were also concerned that contaminated

> > > livestock feed may have been shipped to Missouri. [...]

> > >

> > > Even as the tainted wheat gluten cases have multiplied, the FDA

has

> > > learned of another problem: Chinese rice protein. U.S. importer

> > > Wilbur-Ellis told the agency that a single bag of rice protein

that

> > > it had imported tested positive for the presence of melamine.

> > Wilbur-

> > > Ellis imported the rice from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology

Co.

> > in

> > > China's Shandong province. In the U.S., the protein went to

five

> > U.S.

> > > pet food makers in Utah, New York, Kansas and Missouri.

> > >

> > > While the FDA has targeted select states for hog inspections,

the

> > pet

> > > food recall and the large number of sick cats and dogs have

> > > overwhelmed state agencies that often only investigate a dozen

pet

> > > food complaints a year. The FDA says about 400 employees across

the

> > > country are collecting pet food samples, monitoring the

recalls'

> > > effectiveness and preparing complaints.

> > >

> > > The investigation's progress in Illinois alone illustrates the

> > > problem.

> > >

> > > About half of the 32 FDA investigators in the state have worked

on

> > > responding to more than 500 complaints of sick or deceased dogs

and

> > > cats since the recalls began March 16. They must collect

medical

> > > records from veterinarians and gather samples of contaminated

pet

> > > food.

> > >

> > > The office is also involved in recall effectiveness. " It's very

> > > taxing on our resources, " said Scott MacIntire, director of the

> > FDA's

> > > Chicago office, which oversees state operations.

> > >

> > > MacIntire said his office is investigating a shipment of rice

> > protein

> > > concentrate imported to Illinois and potentially used in a

human

> > > product.

> > >

> > > Nationwide, the FDA has only enough inspectors to check 1

percent

> > to

> > > 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.

> > >

> > > " We don't have the resources or the capabilities to test every

> > single

> > > shipment of every single food item that crosses into our

country or

> > > into our state borders, " said Frank Busta, director of the

National

> > > Center for Food Protection and Defense.

> > >

> > > Stupak is among a small number in Congress who for several

years

> > have

> > > pressed for stiffer food safety regulations. He said

legislation

> > > likely to pass this year could include a provision giving the

FDA

> > > authority to order food processors to recall questionable items.

> > >

> > > Currently, the FDA can issue mandatory recall orders only for

baby

> > > formula [...]

> > >

> > > Read more

> > > The foreign relations angle is so obvious as to scarcely need

> > > comment. If Beijing does not cooperate in full with the FDA in

the

> > > coming week, the US Department of State needs to lodge a

diplomatic

> > > protest -- and the Bush administration needs to follow up with

> > strong

> > > action if the Chinese continue to be obstructive.

> > >

> > > We are staring down the barrel of a tragedy that could make the

> > SARS

> > > epidemic look like nothing. But last week, in a communication

with

> > me

> > > about the first article in this post, Dave holds US food

importers

> > > responsible as well:

> > > One of the aspects that I find most troubling in all of this is

> > that

> > > so many companies apparently see no need to do due diligence

and

> > > actually know anything about their overseas suppliers. As best

as I

> > > can tell they're judging by price lists alone. Quality,

> > reliability,

> > > etc. play little role.

> > >

> > > [...] China is, in effect, operating as one huge monopoly. We

have

> > no

> > > idea what their costs of production are and, in all

probability,

> > > neither do they. All we see is prices and it's not clear, at

least

> > to

> > > me, how price signals are communicated in a command economy.

> > > To which I can only add, " a very opaque monopoly. "

> > >

> > > Noon Update

> > > From today's Washington Post:

> > >

> > >

> > > FDA, USDA Won't Recall Pork Over Tainted Pet Food

> > > Two federal agencies said yesterday that a contining

investigation

> > > affirms that the risk to humans from hogs that may have eaten

> > > contaminated pet food is very low and that no recall is

warranted.

> > > The agencies couldn't have thrown together studies so quickly

to

> > > determine the harm to humans from ingesting processed pork

products

> > > that contain melamine.

> > >

> > >

> > > # posted by Pundita : 4/29/2007 10:17:00 AM

> > >

> > > http://pundita.blogspot.com/2007/04/tainted-food-from-china-

before-

> > > you.html

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I'm with you, May, there are many who are already insane.

 

I have a friend in San Antonio named Malcomb Beck. He originated

Gardenville, and is known as Mr. Compost of central Texas. He is an

organic farmer, and innovator, a thinker. He tells me that most people

are chronically starved for nutrients to the point that they are out of

their minds. He has written books, done experiments, and is a

consultant for a couple of universities. He loaned me a book by the

former Probation Officer Head of Cayuga Falls County(NY?, can't

remember). This lady changed her probationers' diet and achieved an 80%

probation success rate. The failure rate is usually about 80%. Her

nutritional methods were applied to prisons systems, even maxes, and

uniformly had success. I will try to find the exact name of the book

and its author in the next few days; I should already have a copy!

 

The Twinkie insanity defense was the tip of the actual iceberg!

 

Dr. Goebel

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

My goodness Dr. Goebel. Yes, I would be interested in reading that

book. And yes, this would make perfect sense. Because absolutely

nothing is making sense these days, not from anybody.

 

Well, the best thing to do is continue growing my garden, although I

did see a chemtrail plane the other day. This is so disheartening.

 

 

 

oleander soup , Michael Goebel <goebelchx

wrote:

>

> I'm with you, May, there are many who are already insane.

>

> I have a friend in San Antonio named Malcomb Beck. He originated

> Gardenville, and is known as Mr. Compost of central Texas. He is an

> organic farmer, and innovator, a thinker. He tells me that most

people

> are chronically starved for nutrients to the point that they are

out of

> their minds. He has written books, done experiments, and is a

> consultant for a couple of universities. He loaned me a book by the

> former Probation Officer Head of Cayuga Falls County(NY?, can't

> remember). This lady changed her probationers' diet and achieved an

80%

> probation success rate. The failure rate is usually about 80%. Her

> nutritional methods were applied to prisons systems, even maxes, and

> uniformly had success. I will try to find the exact name of the

book

> and its author in the next few days; I should already have a copy!

>

> The Twinkie insanity defense was the tip of the actual iceberg!

>

> Dr. Goebel

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

By all means, Dr. G, do find that book!

 

Sometime, when time permits, I will share my own similar experience

and results when I was a volunteer supervisor for 6 months this past

year at a Drug and Alcohol rehab facility for young men. When I

arrived, the diet was sugar, bleached white flour, lots of fat and red

meat, fruity pebbles cereal, waffles and pancakes for breakfast, hot

dogs, ice cream, etc. I cut 2/3 of the sugar, added fish, chicken and

turkey and cut 4/5 of the fat and red meat, added baby spinach and

lots of fresh veggies and fruits, yogurt, 100% fruit juice, lowfat

milk, whole grain bread, etc. Not the ideal diet, but much better

than what they had. And after a bit of initial resistance, they really

liked it. The improvement in behavior of all the diagnosed ADD's

ADHD's, bi-polar, manic depressive, etc., addicts and alcoholics was

noticeable.

 

Sadly to say, once I moved on, the diet reverted back to the old crap

diet and I need some parting ammo to leave with the director. I find

it ironic to run a drug and alcohol program that has a diet which

feeds disorders and addiction and retards normalcy and recovery!

 

I intend to someday write an article about the subject. Maybe even a

book . . .

 

 

oleander soup , Michael Goebel <goebelchx wrote:

>

> I'm with you, May, there are many who are already insane.

>

> I have a friend in San Antonio named Malcomb Beck. He originated

> Gardenville, and is known as Mr. Compost of central Texas. He is an

> organic farmer, and innovator, a thinker. He tells me that most people

> are chronically starved for nutrients to the point that they are out of

> their minds. He has written books, done experiments, and is a

> consultant for a couple of universities. He loaned me a book by the

> former Probation Officer Head of Cayuga Falls County(NY?, can't

> remember). This lady changed her probationers' diet and achieved an 80%

> probation success rate. The failure rate is usually about 80%. Her

> nutritional methods were applied to prisons systems, even maxes, and

> uniformly had success. I will try to find the exact name of the book

> and its author in the next few days; I should already have a copy!

>

> The Twinkie insanity defense was the tip of the actual iceberg!

>

> Dr. Goebel

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh no! They reverted back to that junk? Why? And what are they

thinking? Didn't they see the improvement in behavior? This makes

no sense. Yes, by all means, you should leave the director with some

parting ammo. They are not helping those boys in the least bit.

 

 

 

oleander soup , " Tony " wrote:

>

> By all means, Dr. G, do find that book!

>

> Sometime, when time permits, I will share my own similar experience

> and results when I was a volunteer supervisor for 6 months this past

> year at a Drug and Alcohol rehab facility for young men. When I

> arrived, the diet was sugar, bleached white flour, lots of fat and

red

> meat, fruity pebbles cereal, waffles and pancakes for breakfast, hot

> dogs, ice cream, etc. I cut 2/3 of the sugar, added fish, chicken

and

> turkey and cut 4/5 of the fat and red meat, added baby spinach and

> lots of fresh veggies and fruits, yogurt, 100% fruit juice, lowfat

> milk, whole grain bread, etc. Not the ideal diet, but much better

> than what they had. And after a bit of initial resistance, they

really

> liked it. The improvement in behavior of all the diagnosed ADD's

> ADHD's, bi-polar, manic depressive, etc., addicts and alcoholics was

> noticeable.

>

> Sadly to say, once I moved on, the diet reverted back to the old

crap

> diet and I need some parting ammo to leave with the director. I

find

> it ironic to run a drug and alcohol program that has a diet which

> feeds disorders and addiction and retards normalcy and recovery!

>

> I intend to someday write an article about the subject. Maybe even

a

> book . . .

>

> >

> oleander soup , Michael Goebel <goebelchx@>

wrote:

> >

> > I'm with you, May, there are many who are already insane.

> >

> > I have a friend in San Antonio named Malcomb Beck. He originated

> > Gardenville, and is known as Mr. Compost of central Texas. He is

an

> > organic farmer, and innovator, a thinker. He tells me that most

people

> > are chronically starved for nutrients to the point that they are

out of

> > their minds. He has written books, done experiments, and is a

> > consultant for a couple of universities. He loaned me a book by

the

> > former Probation Officer Head of Cayuga Falls County(NY?, can't

> > remember). This lady changed her probationers' diet and achieved

an 80%

> > probation success rate. The failure rate is usually about 80%.

Her

> > nutritional methods were applied to prisons systems, even maxes,

and

> > uniformly had success. I will try to find the exact name of the

book

> > and its author in the next few days; I should already have a copy!

> >

> > The Twinkie insanity defense was the tip of the actual iceberg!

> >

> > Dr. Goebel

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>