Hogs That Ate Melamine-Tainted Feed Released to U.S. Market

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Experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said they still do not know if any fish fed the tainted meal have made it to the U.S. market.

In the meantime, U.S. officials have placed a ban on certain grain products from China, the suspected source of the melamine-contaminated wheat flour, gluten and rice protein that sparked this spring's recall of more than 100 brands of pet food nationwide.

In addition, "all vegetable protein products imported or shipped from China cannot come into the United States unless they have been tested for melamine and other melamine-derived compounds," Acheson announced last week.

The FDA is also sampling pet food imported from China and will begin testing animal feed, including fish feed.

In the United States, the FDA is visiting manufacturers that use imported protein concentrates. The FDA will be collecting samples of both raw ingredients and finished product, and testing them for melamine, Acheson said. "This domestic assignment is targeted at pet food animal food, as well as human food," Acheson noted.

FDA representatives have returned from on-site investigations in China and are writing their report, Acheson said today.

More information

For more information on the pet food recall, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.