October 21, 2008

The South Korean government said on Monday (October 20, 2008) that no traces of melamine were found in chickens or eggs exposed to contaminated feed.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it has checked samples of chickens and eggs produced by poultry farms that bought feed made from ingredients containing the industrial chemical that could cause kidney problems in humans.

Last week, authorities found a chicken feed manufacturer in Gyeonggi Province had imported 52 tonnes of yeast powder from China and added it into the production process. Samples collected from the manufacturer showed melamine levels of 14 parts per million (ppm) and 37 ppm.

Officials ordered the destruction of feed that had yet to be sold, while poultry farms were barred from selling their animals until tests were conducted.

Since no traces were found in either birds or eggs, those farms are now free to market their products, according to an official.