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Scientists Conclude Very Low Risk to Humans from Food Containing Melamine
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Field Operations Dr. Kenneth Petersen and the Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection Dr. David Acheson testified before the
House Agriculture Committee on May 9 concerning the continuing investigation into imported wheat flour
that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds.
FSIS and FDA issued a joint news release on May 7
announcing the results of a human health risk assessment
that showed that there is very low risk from consuming meat from hogs and chickens that consumed pet food
scraps that contained small amounts of melamine.
The news release was accompanied by a fact sheet about
the assessment and its findings. It was followed by a news media briefing on May 8.
In light of the assessment and tests results available for contaminated feed, FSIS released poultry being
held on farms that were suspected of receiving contaminated feed but where the feed tested negative for
melamine and related compounds.
The risk assessment was conducted by scientists from FSIS, FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The agencies conducted the risk assessment as one science-based component of the continuing joint investigation
into imported wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate from China. Testing and the joint investigation
continue.
In the most extreme risk assessment scenario, scientists assumed that all the solid food a person would
eat in a day contained melamine. Even under that extreme scenario, the potential exposure was about 2,500
times lower than the level considered safe.
The risk assessment team is also conducting an animal exposure assessment and developing tests able to
detect melamine in the tissue of hogs and chickens.
Based on additional scientific information, FSIS will determine how to proceed with the other livestock
still being held on farms, approximately 100,000 breeder chickens and about 56,000 swine.
FDA and USDA are having scientists review the human health risk assessment. This group will also be asked to
contribute to future scientific analysis related to the risk of melamine and its compounds to humans and
animals.
More information about the risk assessment will be available online upon completion of an executive summary.
The joint news release, a transcript of the media briefing and a collection page with related information
are available on USDA's Web site at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.usda.gov.
FSIS Issues Directive on Use of Results from Non-FSIS Laboratories
FSIS issued Directive 10,000.1 on May 11, to describe the decision-making process the agency uses when
determining whether it is appropriate to accept results from a non-FSIS laboratory.
The directive covers results from State and local government laboratories, academic laboratories and private
sector laboratories.
Periodically, results from non-FSIS laboratories are presented to FSIS, such as from outbreak or illness
investigations. If FSIS decides to accept the results from the non-FSIS laboratory, it may take action
(e.g., request a recall or detain product) based on those results.
If the agency decides not to accept the results, it still may collect a sample of the product in question
for testing in an FSIS laboratory.
Directive 10,000.1 is available on FSIS' Web site at
https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/
10000.1.pdf (PDF Only).
NACMCF Subcommittee to Hold Public Meeting
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) subcommittee on Assessment
of the Food Safety Importance of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis will hold
a public meeting on May 15-16.
The purpose of this meeting is to determine the potential for transmission via foods of Mycobacterium avium
subspecies paratuberculosis, a suspect causative agent for Crohn's Disease, and the importance of
this organism as a food safety concern.
The public meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Aerospace Building, 901 D Street, SW.,
Room 369, Washington, D.C.
To register, contact Karen Thomas-Sharp, advisory committee specialist, at (202) 690-6620. For security
reasons, all persons wishing to attend must register in advance.
FSIS Provides Additional Information on Chile's Eligibility to Export Poultry and Poultry Products to the United States
FSIS published a proposed rule and additional information in the Federal Register on May 10 titled,
Eligibility of Chile to Export Poultry and Poultry Products to the United States: Proposed Rule Comment
Period Extension and Notice of New Information.
The agency is providing additional information about the basis on which it has tentatively concluded that
Chile's inspection system for poultry and poultry products is equivalent to that of the United States.
The initial proposed rule, published February 26, proposed to add Chile to the list of countries eligible to
export poultry and poultry products to the United States.
A comment on the proposal noted a deficiency that FSIS found in its onsite audit of Chile's inspection system
and questioned how, given that deficiency, FSIS could find Chile's system equivalent. The agency is addressing
this concern in the May 10 proposed rule.
FSIS is accepting comments until May 25. Comments may be made through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.regulations.gov or by electronic mail at
FSIS.RegulationsComments@usda.gov
The proposed rule can be viewed at
https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2007-0016.htm.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
Cuba, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, and Russia.
Complete information can be found at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081031021641/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
May 11, 2007 |
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