Melamine Now Found In China's Eggs...Big Surprise, Huh?

[bluey]

If anybody is interested in the WSJ link...

It's okay because they are only selling them to the bakeries and that you'd need to eat the equivalent of 13 eggs to get sick. Yeah, that would make me feel much better...

...some scary stuff.....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122828621123875437.html

 

[maplesky7]

I hear those sleigh bells jingling...jing...jing...jingling too....it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.....


i only had 12 1/2

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

it kind of makes you wonder how anyone survives in china...with all the deception and misuse of chemicles in foods and toys.

 

[AngieChick]

Quote:
We have a long history in the US of corporate deception, chemical misuse, and contamination as well. China doesn't have that market cornered by any means. While it's true that as so many things are created there under trememdous pressure to keep costs low (to satisfy the demands of American companies in large part), and have cut corners accordingly. The reasons that it's so much cheaper to produce over there is because of cheaper labor and much looser regulations. This isn't news. I am concerned, though, about how the media is demonizing China because of it. That's not to say that there aren't serious issues there, but we have no room to judge.

But yes, poisoned eggs are gross. How sad.

 

[chickiebaby]

Thanks, Angelchick, for a great reality check. It's not about China at all, when you look at it that way, but about the need for all of us, in this crazy global world, to think about where our food comes from, and why we think "cheap" is always good.

 

[Fudgie]

I don't think cheap is always good..................I think CHEEP is always good! grow your own, you know where they come from!

 

[wegotchickens]

It helped me steer away more from processed foods when I learned the US wanted to change the numbers on how much melamine was acceptable in US foods. They said we could handle more melamine in our diet, not less.

I'll see if I can find that article....

Not sure if this is the same one I read, but it has similar info.

http://naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com...ys-small-amounts-of-melamine-in-US-foods.aspx

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

Quote:
We have a long history in the US of corporate deception, chemical misuse, and contamination as well. China doesn't have that market cornered by any means. While it's true that as so many things are created there under trememdous pressure to keep costs low (to satisfy the demands of American companies in large part), and have cut corners accordingly. The reasons that it's so much cheaper to produce over there is because of cheaper labor and much looser regulations. This isn't news. I am concerned, though, about how the media is demonizing China because of it. That's not to say that there aren't serious issues there, but we have no room to judge.

But yes, poisoned eggs are gross. How sad.

Well, maybe your right. My opinions are formed by the news I read and see on tv. It just seems over the past few years everytime I turn around I read about China doing something questionable, unethical, or down right dangerous. Seeing as I have a toddler, it really got to me when they found the melamine in the baby formula. Although I don't give my child formula, it still affected me. I, personally, am not demonizing China. But I still stand by my statement from before.

 

[ivan3]

This is interesting. I've been reviewing information of the reasons we backyarders are denied access to particular antibiotics (or use is, at best, off label). `Resistance analysis' was what I was after but, as usual, I was soon off the `rez'.

This is some info. on Nitrofurans (some parallels to melamine here):

The first quote is a heads up sent out to avian vets:

"Nitrofuran ban in effect
The AVMA reminds veterinarians that the Food and Drug Administration has prohibited all uses of nitrofuran drugs in food-producing animals because they pose a public health risk (see JAVMA, March 15, 2002, page 735). The rule went into effect on May 7, 2002 and is the result of evidence that the drugs may induce carcinogenic residues in animal tissues.

Nitrofurans, which are effective against a wide range of bacteria, include furazolidone, nitrofurazone, nitrofurantoin, and related compounds. At this time, any nitrofuran product found on a dairy farm that is not labeled for cattle constitutes a five-point debit for on-farm milk inspection. Older product stock of furazolidone aerosol (spray) powder and nitrofurazone topical powder that bear an indication for use in cattle will not result in a debit unless the product has exceeded its expiration date. Veterinarians should ask producers to remove in-date product from dairy operations. Trade names include Topazone, Furox aerosol, NFZ Puffer, and P.E.7.

Since 1991, nitrofurans have been banned for systemic use in poultry and swine because the drugs can cause cancer. Topical uses, however, have been allowed because evidence that this application allowed the drugs to reach edible tissues did not exist. Recent evidence, however, shows that cattle treated with ophthalmic preparations can have residues of the drugs in their milk and tissues, including muscle, kidney, and liver, so the FDA decided to disallow even topical use."

The following is from a european study of water contamination and the tracing of the sources of contamination (included CAP which occurs in nature as well as meds).

"SEM (semicarbazide) has long been considered a characteristic molecule of the antibiotic nitrofurazone (Annex IV). Studies have shown that the parent drugs are rapidly metabolised by animals, and are therefore undetectable directly. The stable metabolites are however detectable for some weeks after application of nitrofurans and are therefore regarded as indicators for the application of nitrofurans. However, recently SEM was found as a contaminant in food packaged in glass jars, unrelated to the nitrofurans. In this case SEM is formed by thermal degradation of azodicarbonamide (ADC). ADC is used as the blowing agent in plastic gaskets of packaging material. SEM migrates from the gaskets into food products. SEM was also detected in special animal and vegetable matrices that had been concentrated using drying procedures like heating to reduce water content. A substantial formation of SEM was observed after samples were treated with hypochlorite (bleach) in accordance with common food processing methods used for disinfection or bleaching.13
CAP has unequivocally been found in German sewage and surface water.14 The most likely source for CAP in the aquatic environment in this case is human medicinal use. Other research has shown that in food products not related to illicit use, CAP can nevertheless be detected (CAP is a naturally produced antibiotic). These results are suggestive for multiple sources of CAP in the food-production chain, although definitive proof is lacking. However, the fact that in Europe CAP can actually be detected in the aquatic environment does give rise to the distinct possibility that the food-production chain can be contaminated through other routes than intended misuse. Moreover, the aquatic environment (including groundwater) proves to be a source for multiple antibiotics by which the public is exposed through mainly drinkingwater.15"

So, in similar circumstances, what a human might flush and/or leaching from a gasket or some from natural background could lead to a commercial poultry outfit being accused of illegal use when their waste stream is tested (but contaminants came in via drinking water)

The last two lines from the link below:

"The FDA and other experts said they believe the melamine contamination in U.S.-made formula had occurred during the manufacturing process, rather than intentionally. The U.S. government quietly began testing domestically produced infant formula in September, soon after problems with melamine-spiked formula surfaced in China.
Melamine can legally be used in some food packaging, and can rub off into food from there. It's also part of a cleaning solution used on some food processing equipment."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j7SAbhJj3By_isZUoRAgTOPHzwkQD94OM2CG0 (if the link doesn't work it's the 11/29 AP article on melamine)

For information on one's personal contribution to the problem: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/ppcp/

I fear the ever increasing accuracy of testing methods has outrun our ability to perform adequate risk analysis (in a lot of areas).

 

[BettyR]

If the USDA allows Melamine into foods in the US intended for adults and a mother eats or drinks the chemical it will be passed through her breast milk to her baby. So what would be the difference between feeding to adults only and knowingly putting it into baby formula.