US organisations want arsenic out of animal feed

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) are petitioning with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stop the use of arsenic compounds in animal feed.

The additives are commonly used in the production of poultry to increase weight gain and to create the appearance of a healthy meat colour.

The use of arsenic as a feed additive leads to arsenic residue in chicken, causing unnecessary risks to human health, said CFS executive director Andrew Kimbrell.

US Rep. Steve Israel has recently announced a new legislation - the Poison Free Poultry Act - that will ban the use of an arsenic antimicrobial drug called roxarsone in poultry feed.

The CFS and IATP petition calls for a more comprehensive ban, which would include arsanilic acid, nitarsone and carbarsone, all commonly-used compounds that contain arsenicals.

Arsenic can be poisonous and all avoidable exposures should be eliminated to best protect public health, said David Wallinga, MD of IATP.

John Starkey, president of the US Poultry & Egg Association, said in September that roxarsone prevents coccidiosis in poultry, which in turn enhances animal welfare and sustainability of production as well as improves food safety.

Starkey also said there are well-established and well-respected procedures in place at the FDA to ensure the safety and efficacy of the use of products such as roxarsone in animal feeds.