FDA: Melamine in fish feed poses no risk
The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that melamine has been found in fish feed at the Marion Folks Hatchery in Oregon.
The manager at the hatchery discontinued use of the feed, labeled as Bio Vita
Starter, when the FDA contacted him about testing. The grade of food is used as
a starter diet for juvenile salmon and trout.
The Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife contacted the company to find out if the feed
was shipped to other hatcheries. Representatives from the Skretting Co.
confirmed that the same lot was sent to the Willamette, Gnat Creek, Big Creek,
Cole Rivers, Butte Falls and Leaburg hatcheries. Hatchery managers
immediately discontinued using any remaining fish feed from the lot in question
and notified the FDA.
No risks
The fish feed is
manufactured in Vancouver, Canada by the Skretting Co. It’s distributed
under the Bio-Oregon label out of Longview, Wash. Canadian officials said
they have no plans to quarantine or test fish that ate feed with low levels of
the same chemical that has been linked to the pet-food recall, saying a health
assessment indicates that the fish pose no health risk to consumers. However,
the use of the lot #32734 feed has been stopped according to Steve
Williams, ODFW deputy fish administrator.
