US firms recall livestock and fish feed

Officials said Tembec confirmed it intentionally added
the non approved ingredient melamine to improve the binding properties of
ingredients used to make feed pellets. Investigators are unsure how many animals
may have consumed tainted feed. Officials said melamine levels were low and it
was unlikely humans would be harmed.

“Both companies have stopped adding
melamine to the feed product,” Dr. David Acheson, FDA assistant commissioner for
food protection commented. FDA is advising feed manufacturers and others who mix
their own feed not to use these products, and to contact the
manufacturers.

Product recall
Acheson said Ohio-based Tembec
BTLSR, a unit of the Canadian wood products company Tembec, recalled AquaBond
and Aqua-Tec II feed ingredients, which it distributed for Uniscope.
Colorado-based Uniscope also recalled its Xtra-Bond product that was made with
ingredients supplied by Tembec.
Uniscope originally notified the FDA about
the contamination on May 18, agency officials said.

“We don’t think the
concentration is very high,” said Charlie Russell, a spokesperson for Uniscope.
“But if FDA thinks it’s a big deal I’m not sure we’re going to disagree with
it.”

According to Acheson, the addition of melamine was not a practice
that was done very recently but has probably been going on for a little while.
We suspect this is not something that happened acutely in May 2007.” David
Elder, director of the FDA’s enforcement office, said the agency was
investigating Tembec’s actions and would consider if any action should be taken.
Acheson said some of the feed recalled Wednesday may have been exported, and US
officials are notifying affected countries.

AquaBond and Aqua-Tec II
ingredients were used in fish and shrimp feed both in the United States and
overseas, while Xtra-Bond was used only domestically in livestock
feed.

Related websites:
Tembec
Uniscope  
FDA

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