May 8, 2007

US ends block on 20 million chickens said to have eaten tainted feed

The US Department of Agriculture lifted a block it placed Friday (May 4) on large-scale US chicken producers--stopping 20 million broiler chickens from entering commerce--after a risk analysis said the birds did not eat tainted feed.

A risk analysis completed over the weekend showed the feed the chickens ate tested negative for the chemical melamine, USDA spokesman Keith Williams said Monday.

USDA continues to maintain a hold on some livestock and products as it conducts further investigations, Williams said.

USDA and Food and Drug Administration officials said last week that they believed only 2.5 million to 3 million chickens on Indiana farms had been exposed to the tainted feed. But subsequent investigations show "larger commercial contractors also purchased and used this adulterated feed--hence the 20-million figure," Williams said Friday.

Initial tests did not detect the chemical melamine in chicken feed at the farms where Williams said the tainted feed was distributed.

Chicken farmers buy salvaged pet food as a cheap feed source. Salvaged pet food can include food that has spilled from bags during manufacturing and is therefore unsuitable for consumption by dogs and cats.

The pet food involved contained supplements that were tainted with melamine in China and then exported to the US Melamine can make supplements appear to have falsely higher protein levels which commands a higher price for the producer.