there are two additional articles we should all read
WAS THE TAINTED WHEAT GLUTEN ENZYMATICALLY MODIFIED? 03/30/07A visitor to Howl 911 submitted the following two links to a couple of intriguing articles; one, on the enzymatic modification of wheat gluten with transglutaminase by Chinese food researchers and, two, a U.K.-based research paper citing a link between transglutaminase and renal insufficiency (kidney failure). While intriguing, little can be extrapolated from this information without making certain assumptions, as the enzyme used in modifying the wheat gluten is microbial in origin, while the enzyme used in the cited in vivo research was tissue transglutaminase. And even if the microbial transglutaminase possesses the same cross-linking potential as is credited to the tissue transglutaminase (which is certainly within the realm of possiblity), there would have to be sufficient transglutaminase left as a contaminant in the enzymatically-treated wheat gluten to be of any concern. But because the FDA's most recent speculation (melamine contaminating the wheat gluten from China) has only served to create yet more doubt, Howl 911 has chosen to include the following articles on this website.
and
the Australian Government Report on China exports:
* The formal education level of most farmers is low. Standards and regulations covering crop input manufacture, application rates and waste management are not rigorously enforced;
* China is now the world leader in both inorganic fertiliser and pesticide consumption. In the past 30 years, while world nitrogen fertiliser application increased by 7 times, China’s nitrogen use in crop production increased 45 times. On average, nitrogen use per hectare is about 3 times the world average;
* Various pesticide compounds have been produced and applied to crops. Many whose use has been curtailed or banned in other countries are still widely used in China. Among them are pesticides that are known to leave toxic residues in the environment;
* There is growing concern about the increasing use of fertilisers and pesticides that cause pollution of rivers, lakes and sea from run-off and seepage, and thereby become sources of ecological problems. China’s accession to WTO has raised food-safety concerns due to residual effects of high rates of fertiliser and pesticide application;
* Several studies have shown that high rates of fertiliser and pesticide application are partially due to ineffective extension services to advise farmers on input rates and nutrient balance;
* Use of proven integrated pest management (IPM) techniques is still not widespread.
* Pesticide application rates in China are still rising while they are falling everywhere in Southeast Asia;
* Average annual growth rates
have been 2-5% faster than the crop sector and the livestock sector’s share of total agricultural GDP has doubled. The environmental costs have been high, with large volumes of solid wastes from pig and poultry units and 40% or more of wastes being discharged without treatment into watercourses; and
* There is no national strategy to deal with the waste-disposal system. Some provinces have responded to the problem, but have been hindered by the lack of adequate regulatory and economic mechanisms to ensure compliance.
Despite strengthening of regulations and monitoring of food safety, reports of unsafe or contaminated food still appear to be relatively common. Some examples are provided below:
http://www.howl911.com/petfoodrecall_china.htm
and
(a) Physical contaminants
Physical contaminants include such things as plastic, glass, faecal pellets, insects and rodents, some of which may cause physical harm and others which do not pose a health risk, but are nonetheless considered unacceptable. Food Standards Australia New Zealand has a zero tolerance policy toward most physical hazards in food, either on the basis of safety (eg glass, wire) or suitability (insect fragments). For a number of primary products, some physical contamination is tolerated, provided that further processing, through sieving or the use of flotation tanks for example, will remove offending material.
The United States has a different approach to some physical contaminants in food, having devised a Food Defect Action Levels list, which sets standards for ‘natural or unavoidable’ defects in food that present no health hazard. These defects include insect fragments and larvae, rodent hairs and mammalian excreta. The FDA set these action levels because it considered that “it is economically impractical to grow, harvest or process raw products that are totally free of nonhazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects.” The following provides a representative example of the limits at which the FDA will regard the food product “adulterated” and take action:
US FDA/CFSAN Defect Action Level Handbook
Product: Ground thyme
Insect filth: Average of 925 or more insect fragments per 10 grams
Rodent filth: Average of 2 or more rodent hairs per 10 grams 
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
