May 9, 2007

USDA says hogs and chickens that ate tainted feed safe to consume

US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said on Monday (May 7) that hogs and poultry who consumed contaminated feed that afflicted or killed cats and dogs are safe to eat.

Johans said tests have proven that melamine content in the feed was so thin that human exposure to the meat or eggs of the animals would be thousand times lower than the level considered dangerous.

He added that in some cases, melamine comes undetected as dilution was so minute.

The government has already lifted the quarantine on nearly all of the 20 million chickens that were previously held and can now be slaughtered for food supply.

About 6,000 hogs are still undergoing tests and Johans hopes to announce the release of the animals over the weekend. The animals still being held either ate feed that tested positive for contamination or ate feed that no longer was available to test.

USDA spokeswoman Terri Teuber said though the government is confident the hogs and remaining chickens are safe to consume, it still wanted additional tests before finally releasing them into the food chain.

Melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides, contaminated pet food that either sickened or killed an unknown number of dogs and cats.