Tainted pet food reaches human fare Officials doubt a health risk, but 1,500 hogs are quarantined as [View All]

[Shallah Kali]

Source: Boston Globe

An industrial chemical linked to kidney failure in dogs and cats has found its way into the human food supply chain. California officials quarantined 1,500 animals at the American Hog Farm and are tracking who purchased nearly 100 hogs from the farm this month, when the animals' feed included pet food that had been tainted with melamine .

In addition, 26 hogs were sold and slaughtered at an unnamed processing plant in northern California . Federal authorities quarantined those unprocessed carcasses at that plant, but state officials expect to identify more California processing plants that purchased the hogs.

American Hog Farm, a specialty slaughterhouse in Ceres, Calif., sells whole hogs suitable for backyard barbecues to celebrate weddings, retirements, graduations, and other festive events.

A man who answered the phone at American Hog Farm and who identified himself as one of its owners said yesterday it is premature to comment since the federal investigation continues.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/04/21/tainted_pet_food_reaches_human_fare/

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Authorities hunt pork that may be tainted
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/158956.html

State and federal authorities worked Friday to track down pork customers and start testing muscle, liver and kidney tissues from California hogs fed pet food containing melamine, the chemical linked to cat and dog deaths nationwide.

Scientists at a state laboratory in Davis are studying the pork to determine whether melamine is present and poses a risk for people who might have eaten it. Officials said they view the risk to people as "minimal" at this point.

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Wilbur-Ellis sold tainted rice protein to five pet food manufacturers.

Among them was Diamond Pet Foods in Lathrop, which in turn sold salvage pet food containing melamine to American Hog Farm, a 1,500-hog operation in Ceres, in Stanislaus County. Small farms routinely buy salvage feed from pet food makers that repackage torn shipments or spilled products.