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Food safety: Good luck with that!

By Gina Spadafori

May 25, 2007

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National Public Radio had an outstanding report this morning on the problems with FDA and the increased volume of questionable food imports from China. You have to listen to it, especially the parts about the FDA’s inability to inspect, the food companies’ refusal to divulge “proprietary” information and China’s aggressive strategy to corner the markets for key nutrients by dropping price:

China now supplies 80 percent of the world’s ascorbic acid — vitamin C. It’s used as a preservative and nutritional enriching agent in thousands of foods. One-third of the world’s vitamin A now comes from China, along with much of the supply of vitamin B-12 and many health-food supplements, such as the amino acid lysine.

That is no accident. Chinese manufacturers have tried to corner the market in many food ingredients by under-pricing other suppliers.

Leo Hepner, a food-ingredient consultant based in London, says vitamin C is a good example.

“The price in 1995 was $15 per kilogram,” Hepner says. “Today, the price from China is $3.50.”

No one can compete with that. So most Western producers of vitamin C have shut down.

Most telling: An industry consultant admits that some companies are very active in checking out the quality of the ingredients they are buying, while others aren’t. He tells NPR that consumers will have to do their own research, and then is brought up short by the reporter Richard Knox telling him there’s no way for consumers to get critical information — NPR tried:

Michael Doyle heads the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia and consults for Con-Agra, a leading food producer. He says there’s a lot of variation in companies’ trustworthiness.

“Some of the major brand companies I know are very proactive in addressing food safety,” he says. “Some others are not.”

Often, he says, consumers have to take a company’s word that its food is safe.

“And unfortunately, that’s what the FDA has to do, too,” Doyle says.

So … good luck with that.

Listen here.

Spit and rinse: The FDA will begin testing toothpaste from China, says the NYT.

More news: The article on pet bloggers that was in the L.A. Times on Monday is in the Miami Herald today, above the fold on the front page of the Business section, complete with the same picture. There’ll be no living with that kitten now!

Filed under: animals: pets — Gina Spadafori @ 7:39 am

61 Comments »

  1. What exactly are food companies trying to tell us when they say they can’t divulge sources for “proprietary” or “security” reasons? Are they worried that if their sources become public knowledge, their competitors will copy them and buy from the same sources? Do they think someone might try to infiltrate the manufacturing plant and copy their recipe? What is the dealio?

    Comment by slt — May 25, 2007 @ 7:51 am

  2. It’s called “competetive intelligence” and companies are VERY protective of it.

    In the current climate, however, I think we need to start exerting pressure that it’s time to start counterbalancing a company’s economic need to protect its competetive intelligence against just plain old SAFETY and not selling products that might endanger the customers who are paying your bills!

    Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 7:56 am

  3. Zillions of articles to be found on the subject:

    http://www.google.com/search?c.....8;oe=UTF-8

    Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 7:58 am

  4. Here’s an interesting find (there are companies out there that gather competetive intelligence and then SELL it):

    http://www.marketresearch.com/.....19009.html

    http://www.marketresearch.com/...../1476.html

    http://www.marketresearch.com/.....-332391421

    Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 8:05 am

  5. I understand the concept but to me, it seems so horribly greedy in the face of *poisoned foods*. Maybe I’m naive. But I do buy food and *not* from companies who employ a “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy as regards the safety of what I’m eating and feeding to my pets.

    Comment by slt — May 25, 2007 @ 8:08 am

  6. The idea of protecting competetive intelligence is endemic in the corporate community. Seriously - I don’t think they’ve even CONSIDERED the disconnect that has created from the basic concept of food safety.

    They sure better start considering it now. Unfortunately, it’s going to take a lot of pressure from us - the consumers - to begin to shift that paradigm.

    Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 8:20 am

  7. Proprietary information - my (roundish body part)!

    I am consumer - the person who buys that stuff; without me (and a couple of millions others like me) not one single food company would exist.

    Do I have my personal gas-chromatograph? No.
    Does the competitor of said company has one? Very likely.
    Do their exectuives, when switching a job, go into a totally different branch of business? Yeah, right.

    So the only ones a company can *hide* information from is us stupid consumers who pay premium dollars for …. what, exactly?

    As another poster here mentioned some time ago: You proprietary information, I proprietary money.

    Comment by MaKo — May 25, 2007 @ 8:30 am

  8. As a matter of fact, I blogged about this very topic yesterday on dolittler AND I heard the report this morning (twice!). It’s buyer beware all the way. On the proprietary thing: It’s nearly always a ruse. This way they don’t have to inform you of how often they change suppliers, how cheap their ingredients are and how little they know about them. I like what the Consumer Reports editor had to say: We should expect companies to know where their ingredients come from and they should get on a plane if need be and check out the premises. I agree. And I’ll add one thing: They should be held responsible if there’s a toxin hidden in there. Because the FDA cannot do it all. And consumers have no access to the information. All you can do is go on trust and demand redress when they betray it.

    Comment by Dr. Patty Khuly — May 25, 2007 @ 8:30 am

  9. Oh, and I read that article in the biz section of the Miami Herald today. What great exposure. You deserve it.

    Comment by Dr. Patty Khuly — May 25, 2007 @ 8:32 am

  10. For an interesting treatment of the whole idea of how competetive intelligence can be used, watch the 1988 movie “Working Girl” with Melanie Griffith. Sure, it’s just a fictional story. But basically, what the character did was to take all sorts of snippets of information gleaned from all sorts of seemingly unrelated and irrelevant sources and piece them together to predict such things as market trends and what actions companies were going to take. The character in the movie then used the information to make really savvy decisions in the stock market and made a lot of money.

    As I was watching the movie on cable, I thought “She’s using competetive intelligence” (we’d just had a training module on the subject at the company I work for) and I found it kind of interesting.

    But in a far more serious vein, real-life people with the same kinds of skills as the character in the “Working Girl” movie get paid a lot of money to gather “competetive intelligence” and find ways to use it to the betterment of their own company’s bottom line. Companies take this sort of thing VERY seriously in the cutthroat business world.

    Again - not excusing it (not by a LONG shot). But I think it’s helpful to know something about what you’re up against when these companies start refusing to answer questions on the grounds of “proprietary information”.

    Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 8:32 am

  11. This country has gone to hell in a handbasket!!! Who would have thought a few years ago, that eating and brushing your teeth would be a gamble!! What a greedy administration were living through, no one counts, except big business!!!

    Comment by ann — May 25, 2007 @ 8:34 am

  12. If you look at the OASIS report on imports from China that were refused in April 2007, most of the 257 appear to be for food, but others are non-food products, such as exam gloves (rejected for holes), microwave ovens, and pharmaceuticals.

    See http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/4/ora_oasis_c_cn.html

    I suggest bookmarking the Import Refusal Reports page for future reference:

    http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/ora_oasis_ref.html

    You can view import refusals not only by country of origin, but also by type of product.
    In April, 2007, fishery/seafood products were refused the most (173 times) across all countries, followed by human/animal drugs and vegetable products.

    Comment by Barry — May 25, 2007 @ 8:55 am

  13. Barry - I saw those holey-gloves when I checked the site last night too - mind boggling isn’t it?

    I guess it’s safe to assume that most companies have NO Quality Control, something I’d never realized before.

    Comment by Kim — May 25, 2007 @ 9:03 am

  14. I received this from my Senator - Ms. Boxer:

    Dear Ms. (I deleted my last name)

    Thank you for writing to me regarding recent discoveries of contaminants in food and federal oversight of food safety. This is a very important issue, and I appreciate the opportunity to review your comments.

    Every year, about 76 million people are afflicted with a food-borne illness and thousands die. Most recently, hundreds of cats and dogs were sickened and many died after traces of the contaminant melamine were found in pet food made with food products from China . Further investigation of the animal deaths found that melamine may have reacted with cyanuric acid, another contaminant, to form crystals in pets’ kidneys, killing them as an outcome of kidney failure.

    Melamine-traced feed was also fed to chickens, hogs, and farmed fish. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated that this feed contained diluted levels of melamine and would not threaten human health, it is clear that we must reevaluate national food safety procedures in order to provide the greatest protection possible to consumers.

    Despite growing public concern about food safety, the Bush Administration has cut food safety inspections by 47 percent in over the last three years, an alarming drop considering the recent contaminated food recalls, food-borne disease outbreaks, and growing rate of food imports. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has designated federal oversight of food safety as a “high-risk” problem, illustrating the need to overhaul government food safety programs.

    That is why I have joined my colleagues in a series of actions to improve our food safety inspection programs. I have commissioned the GAO to conduct an investigation of the FDA and its oversight of fruit and vegetable safety. In addition, I have written to the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee to request increased funding for the FDA so that it may be adequately prepared to protect our food supply and public health.

    I am also pleased to report that the Senate unanimously passed an amendment that would authorize the FDA to fine all food producers who fail to immediately report instances of human and pet food contamination. The measure would also require food producers to maintain food safety record s and make them accessible to the FDA. The amendment is part of S.1082, an FDA Drug Safety bill, which passed the Senate on May 9, 2007.

    I support stronger food safety measures and additional research to improve our food inspection programs, making them more effective and efficient. Rest assured that I will keep working to ensure a safe food supply for all Americans.

    Again, thank you for writing to me.

    Barbara Boxer
    United States Senator

    Please visit my website at http://boxer.senate.gov

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 9:05 am

  15. One answer is to stop purchasing processed foods, stop eating fast food, and buy as much fresh, locally grown produce as possible. The impact on your health is worth the time, effort and trouble. Just as the pet food manufacturers have used scare tactics to keep pet owners from making their own dog’s meals (It’s not safe they cried) there is not reason on God’s green earth why one must purchase these products. It is primarily force of habit and brainwashing.

    I am sure someone will write in response as to why this is impossible for them, but there are alternatives: the internet with home delivery, community supported agriculture, farmer’s markets. (And for the naysayers out there, I will concede that there may be unscrupulous operators in these areas as well.) However, don’t let them make and keep you passive and hopeless. We don’t all have to go forward with each so-called “advance” in the marketplace. Sometimes the old ways are better. Grow your own, Replace your law with a garden. But don’t support anyone who believes their “proprietary interest” is more important than your health.

    Comment by Black Lab Owner — May 25, 2007 @ 9:11 am

  16. China’s claims that the US is to blame for contaminated food products…they’re essentially saying “It’s *your* fault we’re poisoning your food supply! Pay us more money before we kill again!”

    I’m reminded of Martin Short’s lawyer character on SNL: “It’s not me, it’s you.”

    Comment by Barry — May 25, 2007 @ 9:12 am

  17. Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 25, 2007 @ 8:32 am

    I also understand it to a degree because I have dealt with it some. BUT, there is plenty they can tell us without compromising their sources. I wrote Bobs Red Mill and received a list of what country (and in some cases states) their various products are from. I don’t really need the growers name UNLESS there is a problem like the spinach issue. At that point I think proprietary information goes out the window. When they take away my RIGHT to know and make choices about what I’m eating and feeding others they’ve crossed the line. Assuring us products are safe isn’t good enough as we’ve seen. Some companies need to wake up and learn to be proactive about possible problems vs waiting until something happens and being reactive. And they need to give us the information we need to make choices.

    They also need to understand we can do math. If 80% of Vit C is coming out of China, and their product contains it, both their competitors and the consumer can figure out there’s an 80% chance it’s from there. If they don’t want to give out the info as to where it’s from, well, I’ll just take it as a “yes, it’s from China”, as I’m sure a few others will also.

    Comment by straybaby — May 25, 2007 @ 9:18 am

  18. One thing to remember is that the pet food industry told us that the pet food needed to be nutrionally complete, and look where that got us?

    The eskimos lived for years, and were healthy eating just meat and fat. When they started having access to what we eat, they have all sorts of disease problems.

    I will not buy produce from Mexico, or any other country with standards I don’t trust, so in the winter I don’t eat many fresh veggies. They will not trick me into buying substandard, tainted veggies “for my health”, thank you.

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 9:31 am

  19. What did the Eskimos do for fruit and vitamin “C” etc?

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 9:33 am

  20. Linda,

    They sure didn’t get their Vitamin C from China! I am thinkin’ that the raw liver is full of vitamins of every kind. (Sounds appetizing, doesn’t it?)

    I have read a lot of books about the Eskimos and how they survived. Can you imagine raw liver and raw BLUBBER?

    I was trying to point out that maybe the good ol’ food pyramid isn’t a necessary way to eat to be healthy.

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 9:42 am

  21. Linda, they have berries in the arctic. http://www.chem.ucla.edu/~alic.....tanize.htm

    Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 25, 2007 @ 9:43 am

  22. > What did the Eskimos do for fruit and vitamin “C” etc?

    Cecil Adams’ discusses that very question in his “The Straight Dope” column of 19-Jan-2001:

    Traditionally Eskimos ate only meat and fish. Why didn’t they get scurvy?

    http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010119.html

    Comment by Barry — May 25, 2007 @ 9:45 am

  23. Peggy:

    Oh thanks. Just wondered. Sounds not too bad of a life to me - rather pure and unadulterated (very unlike our food).

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 9:47 am

  24. Another thought on veggies, fresh or canned, they are only as good for you as the soil they are grown in, and I think commercial fertilizers are made up of just a few elements (some gardeners can correct me if I am wrong)

    If they grow the same veggies in the same field, only tilling it and watering and fertilizing with commercial fertilizer, not to mention spraying for pests, I think those veggies may look green or orange and pretty, but maybe they don’t have the proper nutrition in them.

    Gardens need to have “stuff” put back in the soil, such as compost.

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 9:47 am

  25. I am very fond to the Native American cultures and also the Inuit art and their closeness to nature. Living in silence or in natural sounds can not only heal the soul and mind but also can transport a person into a state of natural bliss. Do away with those pesky electrical currents that buzz around day in and day out - OUCH!

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 9:50 am

  26. Every single person who reads this comes from an UNBROKEN line of people who managed to feed themselves and their animals without any bogus guidelines!

    They did it or they died out.

    No weasel worded way to say it otherwise.
    The PFI and the FDA can say whatever they want, but the FACT remains intact, you do NOT need them to tell you how to eat or feed your pets.

    Comment by E. Hamilton — May 25, 2007 @ 9:53 am

  27. Thanks, Barry,

    I guess we need to get us some undercooked meat and whale or seal blubber!

    I read a story by a schoolteacher in the artic, she described a toddler relishing the EYE out of a seal! Uncooked, of course.

    Another thing the Eskimos ate: They sewed up the holes in a sealskin, filled it full of birds, feathers and all, added some seal oil, then buried it on a hill where it would get some sun and ferment.

    Yumm!!!

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 9:54 am

  28. My two local bakeries say they do not use grains from China. Here’s the letter I am sending off to the stores where I shop.

    Dear Staff of Life,

    I have been following the pet food recall and subsequent discovery that China has been adding Melamine to food products for at least the last fifteen years.

    http://www.mg.co.za/articlepag.....eid=306268

    I also know that many organic products are grown in China and that it is suspect as to just how organic these products are.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....47359.html

    My request is that you start listing the source countries on your bulk goods and produce. It seems to me that it would be simple enough to make small removable cards just like the pricing cards and I would be happy to volunteer my time to help with this project.

    Sincerely,

    Angela Flynn
    204 Gault Street
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062
    831-469-4399

    Comment by Angela Flynn — May 25, 2007 @ 9:56 am

  29. Right on, E!

    We did manage to feed ourselves without the help of govt agencies and their guidelines.

    But just remember: Cooking for your pets at home can be “complicated”! LOL

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 9:59 am

  30. Gee, living in the Artic sounds better and better all the time - yummmy.

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 10:00 am

  31. My view is that feeding weapons grade poison labeled as premium pet food to my pets complicated
    my life, and ended their lives, far more than homecooking ever could.

    My life is a lot simpler since I quit buying crap I can live without, I just wish I had known earlier that my pets would live without it and that with it they would suffer and die.

    It is only “complicated” if you listen to the lies.

    Comment by E. Hamilton — May 25, 2007 @ 10:14 am

  32. My vet looked at my Red Dobie Snoopy and told me he was healthy and beautiful. Then I told him I was homecooking his food - and he told me to be careful????????

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 10:16 am

  33. My dog hasn’t had a commercial diet in almost 5 yrs. I guess I’m doing something *wrong* since she’s healthy and happy?

    Comment by straybaby — May 25, 2007 @ 10:24 am

  34. Linda, I told my vet I wanted to home cook for my dog and two cats. She asked my why, I told her the latest of the rolling recalls had broken my nerve. She said, I’ll copy some recipes for you and put them in your pets’ folders for you to pick up.

    Why yes, actually, I do have a marvelous vet.:)

    Comment by Lis — May 25, 2007 @ 10:25 am

  35. Lis,

    she sounds swell! Treasure her. good vets are lifesavers.

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 10:26 am

  36. Congrats! Above the fold… cool!

    Comment by Rose — May 25, 2007 @ 10:45 am

  37. http://www.who.int/csr/don/archive/country/en/

    Disease Outbreaks by Country

    Comment by shelly — May 25, 2007 @ 10:48 am

  38. “proprietary” information?

    how about countering it with “precautionary principle”?

    http://www.precaution.org/lib/pp_def.htm

    Comment by straybaby — May 25, 2007 @ 11:06 am

  39. The precautionary principle assumes that one is rational - these pet food companies and the FDA sold out their right to be called humans, ignored the rational duty to not cause harm, and instead became akin to wild untamed beasts living according to the law of their own greedy stomachs and minds.

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 11:10 am

  40. Good one, Straybaby. I’ll vote for that.

    Comment by Elaine — May 25, 2007 @ 11:11 am

  41. “proprietary” information?” Staybaby, I look at it as consealment. Hidden, questionable products.

    Comment by Kat — May 25, 2007 @ 11:16 am

  42. RE: “I am sure someone will write in response as to why this is impossible for them, but there are alternatives: ” Black Lab Owner:
    ————————————-
    You probably won’t find many on this blog objectioning. Sure, maybe a few that just can’t do it, but I’ll bet most already r a cookin’.

    You are quite right! We’ve been brainwashed!

    dem daze r over…

    Comment by Kat — May 25, 2007 @ 11:25 am

  43. Oh and for many years too if one looks at the history of dogs and cats and the recent advant of Pet Food Propoganda……or shall I say commercials and well-being but equally fooled vets.

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 11:27 am

  44. I know they THINK they are protecting themselves… secret recipes, non-compete clauses for employees, etc.

    BUT — I’m NOT a competitor. I am a consumer. Me (and my newest 1000 friends, et al) have a RIGHT to know what we are eating.

    The days of “secrets” is over. If they don’t comply — then, they can go broke!

    Comment by Kat — May 25, 2007 @ 11:28 am

  45. Cat cares for puppies

    http://news.yahoo.com/photos/s.....espups/p:1

    Comment by Steve — May 25, 2007 @ 11:38 am

  46. Quote:In the U.S., the leading proponent of the precautionary approach is
    the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN). Their web
    site is a gold mine of information.

    from:
    http://www.precaution.org/lib/pp_def.htm

    Comment by straybaby — May 25, 2007 @ 11:06 am

    Sounds good, but:

    *Where is the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN), by the way?*

    During this scandal, I didn’t hear or see a hair of them.

    Are bloggers really the only ones with an interest in the future? Where are all those do-gooder organisations, the environmentally active, the Human Rights groups (yes, I think it is a human right not to be poisoned with the silent nodding of my government!)?

    That the media for the most part are hiding under their sofas, tail firmly tucked in, is bad enough. When it comes to the decision between ‘duty to inform the public’ and ‘keeping advertiser money’ the judgment is clear and simple: Gimme, gimme.

    Ok, I need to take now my anti-snark medication, and has anybody seen the Tequila?

    Comment by MaKo — May 25, 2007 @ 11:46 am

  47. Here are all the Food Safety Bills:

    Active Legislation
    110th Congress (2007-2008)
    Updated May 25, 2007:
    http://senate.gov/pagelayout/l.....g_page.htm

    Durbin - S.1274
    Title: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the safety of food for humans and pets:
    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/.....110:S.1274:

    Durbin - S.654
    Title: A bill to establish the Food Safety Administration to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes:
    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:S.654:

    Schumer - S.1292
    Title: A bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to improve the safety of meat and poultry products by enhancing the ability of the Secretary of Agriculture to retrieve the history, use, and location of a meat or poultry product through a recordkeeping and audit system or registered identification, and for other purposes: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/.....110:S.1292:

    DeLauro - H.R.1148 (Related Bill: S.654)
    Title: To establish the Food Safety Administration to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes:
    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/.....0:H.R.1148:

    DeLauro- H.R.2108
    Title: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the safety of food for humans and pets:
    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/.....0:H.R.2108:

    I have it all here, in one easy access page with links to bills & senate/house contacts:

    http://www.truthinfoodlabeling.....sg95#msg95

    Comment by Kat — May 25, 2007 @ 12:07 pm

  48. A basic precautionary guideline? You no tell, me no buy?

    But it’s leaking out of the blogger-hysteria-over the-top-off-the-charts bunch I guess. Case in point is great article on the Bangor Daily News editorial page today by Harold Myerson. Can’t link because it isn’t on their website (yet?) but he hits hard. I mean, folks, this is a small newspaper in a rural state and he gets the featured space.

    Comment by Nancy Nielsen — May 25, 2007 @ 12:12 pm

  49. “The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health regulatory agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged, as required by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act.”

    http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FOIA/index.asp

    Here’s another group, FSIS, supposed to be looking out for us. Has anyone heard anything from them?

    Comment by Deanna — May 25, 2007 @ 12:20 pm

  50. RE: FSIS

    Feel free to join us hear for that discussion:
    http://www.petconnection.com/b.....-subpoena/

    Comment by Ally — May 25, 2007 @ 12:21 pm

  51. hear = here

    Comment by Ally — May 25, 2007 @ 12:21 pm

  52. Thanks, Ally. I see it now. Jeez, I read that whole blog earlier - my brain is fried, that and I am hungry - not eating much these days.

    Comment by Deanna — May 25, 2007 @ 12:36 pm

  53. Deanna, no worries! Just thought it might be easier to keep things together and I think everyone is bleary eyed from reading the blogs. I hope you’re able to get some food in you. I know it’s sometimes not easy but you need your fuel to be alert for your pets. ;)

    Comment by Ally — May 25, 2007 @ 12:38 pm

  54. Good Miami Herald Story Gina!

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 12:39 pm

  55. The Chinese war machine is probably being funded with our consumer dollars and now we get worried?
    http://tinyurl.com/yrkbmh

    Comment by Terry — May 25, 2007 @ 1:25 pm

  56. from www,ams.usda.gov/cool
    “On May 13, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, more commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill. One of its many initiatives requires country of origin labeling for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities and peanuts. On January 27, 2004, President Bush signed Public Law 108-199 which delays the implementation of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006. On November 10, 2005, President Bush signed Public Law 109-97, which delays the implementation for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2008. As described in the legislation, program implementation is the responsibility of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.”
    The blame for the Food scandal doesn’t lie on the doorstep of the FDA, it lies with the Administrative Branch of our government.
    I personally would like to sit Mr Bush and Mr Cheney ( the power behind the throne) to a tasty luncheon of canned “monkfish” containing tetrodotoxin, served on a bed of Datura inoxia leaves ( the ethno botanist Wade Davis theorized back in the 1980’s that the Haitian Voodoo powder was made of tetrodotoxin and datura alkaloids plus a few other ingredients) with a nice, lemony sauce thickened with melanmine/cyanuric acid.

    Comment by Deb — May 25, 2007 @ 2:48 pm

  57. Kinda like the Simpsons episode where Marge serves Mr. Burns a 3 eyed fish to eat in front of the press!

    Comment by Deanna — May 25, 2007 @ 4:02 pm

  58. I’m ready for the weekend - time to walk through the forest and smell the mountain air and drink good thick melamine free coffee.

    Comment by Linda — May 25, 2007 @ 4:03 pm

  59. Comment by slt — May 25, 2007 @ 7:51 am

    What exactly are food companies trying to tell us when they say they can’t divulge sources for “proprietary” or “security” reasons?

    What are they trying not to tell us - MADE IN CHINA.

    Comment by MFEMFEM — May 25, 2007 @ 7:33 pm

  60. Comment by Deb — May 25, 2007 @ 2:48 pm

    “The blame for the Food scandal doesn’t lie on the doorstep of the FDA, it lies with the Administrative(Executive) Branch of our government.”

    Yes, exactly. One telephone call from the White House and the FDA would immediately start enforcing the law. Don’t hold your breath.

    Comment by MFEMFEM — May 25, 2007 @ 7:36 pm

  61. I wanted to jump in here with a comment about feeding your pets after all that has happened in the past 2 months. I lost my companion kitty of 14+ years to the Menu Foods and I wish I had known then more about how to feed my pets to insure their good health. I trusted the pet food companies and I wish I could go back and do it over again. I still have my other cat and my dog and I will strive to feed them the best way I can to insure their well being.

    Every month I receive a newsletter from “LifeSource Natural Foods”. This store is locally owned and operated in Salem, Oregon. The May issue has a very interesting article on feeding pets and what is really in pet foods. Article was written by the person who runs their pet food department.

    For anyone interested, their website is: http://www.LifeSourceNaturalFoods.com

    The name of the article and writer is:
    News In Natural by Michelle Seuss.

    Comment by Linda (Captain2) — May 25, 2007 @ 7:41 pm

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