70 % of Wheat Gluten in US for *Human* & Pet Food is Imported from EU & China! (Pet Food Recall)

[KoKo]

(What's disturbing about this latest revelation is one might ask what HUMAN FOOD the lethal Wheat Gluten is in and who might be sick from this in our population and not know it. Also, that the "supplier" has not been identified by the MSCorporate Media has been very low key about reporting this. Shouldn't we be asking questions about what other products this tainted, lethal wheat gluten is in?)


Pet food recall grows to include first dry products

The Associated Press
Friday, March 30, 2007


Menu Foods said the only certainty was that imported wheat gluten was the likely source of the deadly contamination, even if the actual contaminant remained in doubt.

"The important point today is that the source of the adulteration has been identified and removed from our system," said Paul Henderson, Menu Foods chief executive officer and president. Henderson suggested his company would pursue legal action against the supplier.

About 70 percent of the wheat gluten used in the United States for human and pet food is imported from the European Union and Asia, according to the Pet Food Institute, an industry group.

One veterinarian suggested the international sourcing of ingredients would force the United States "to come to grips with a reality we had not appreciated."

"When you change from getting an ingredient from the supplier down the road to a supplier from around the globe, maybe the methods and practices that were effective in one situation need to be changed," said Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary clinical sciences at Ohio State University.

The FDA's Sundlof said the agency may change how it regulates the pet food industry.

"In this case, we're going to have to look at this after the dust settles and determine if there is something from a regulatory standpoint that we could have done differently to prevent this incident from occurring," he said.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/31/america/NA-GEN-US-Pet-Food-Recall.php

[texpatriot2004]

1. Why are we importing wheat? nm

[Lasher]

35. 50% of the US wheat crop is exported but not to China

China has trade barriers that effectively block meaningful wheat imports from the US. They do this to protect their domestic wheat producers. How novel, using trade barriers to preserve domestic jobs.

Wheat gluten, AKA seitan, is a product similar to soy-based tofu. Flour is made into dough then washed to remove starch, leaving only the gluten (protein). The result of the process has been used as a meat substitute for years. It is most popular in China where it was first developed.

Although we have plenty of wheat I guess we don't have a lot of dough washing facilities, whatever that would look like. And if we ever did process a lot of wheat gluten here we would probably offshore all the jobs to China.

That's why we are importing wheat gluten, but not unprocessed wheat, from China.

[texpatriot2004]

39. Thanks for the explanation. I didn't realize that. Why can't the US

use "trade barriers" to protect American workers?

[Lasher]

40. You were not alone as you can see downthread.

And I educated myself somewhat when I threw that together. Although we are a net exporter of raw wheat, it is interesting to note that we do import some from Canada.

And why can't the US use trade barriers to protect American workers? Because our corporate owners could but they don't want to. The US working man and woman was sold out a long time ago by the rich people and their multinational corporations that they own.

Oh, you could say we are bound by this or that trade agreement but our leaders been falling all over themselves to enter into them. And you could say 'free' trade is good for America but then I would have to ask you who America is. I say it's the majority of US citizens.

And as you have surely noticed, corporations own and run America, not vice versa as it should be. I don't see a quick remedy for this with Democrats in charge but at least they are not as complicit as Publicans in this respect.

You can call me a protectionist if you wish. I think there are some things that are worth protecting.

Lasher

[texpatriot2004]

42. Corporate America is one of the biggest threats to the

American middle class, the American way of life. I say one of the biggest because I think this Administration is a huge threat to it as well but *Co aside, unregulated Corporations without Conscience are truly dangerous for American citizens.

[originalpckelly]

2. WHAT THE FUCK? Don't we have enough wheat?

This is some goddamned bullshit.

[PSPS]

3. It's kind of obvious that the unnamed supplier has ties to bush

[baldguy]

4. Coals to Newcastle. Sand to Saudi Arabia.

Wheat to America.

Why are we IMPORTING wheat? Poisoned wheat at that? Because someone, somewhere was stuck with it and NEEDED to make money off of it. How much you wanna bet that they're connected to Republicans?

[DemReadingDU]

5. Somebody got greedy, and we get sick pets

disgusting

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

6. This week I switched my dogs food to

Chicken Soup and Eagle Holistic brands. Now reading this, I checked the soup in my cupboard, Campbells Chunky soup has Wheat Gluten in the ingredient list. These are what my son eats. Where does Campbells get their gluten from? Good God, I feel sick. Going back to the cupboard to check more.

[catgirl]

11. This is really disturbing

I usually cook on Sundays. I make big batches of homemade soup, sauce, etc.
for the week using organic veggies. I became a label reader years ago. I was
shocked at the ingredients in prepared foods from regular supermarkets. Now
I'm making homemade food for my cats and dogs, except for one of my cats.
She was on Science Diet Prescription food (the K/D). I'm experimenting with
PetGuard turkey and rice, and so far it's working.

[Nite Owl]

7. Wasn't the US the

Breadbasket to the World? Guess that phrase comes from before globalization/free trade.
I think I'm going to vote for the first pol who tells us the truth, that we aren't 'Number 1' anymore in anything, we are a failing country that needs to do better, we need to stop the unquestioned support for the military industrial complex and support the citizens of our country.

[bobthedrummer]

8. We've all been consuming GM food for years-here is a link from the other side

that extols the virtues and "scientific" basis for bio-food corporations ( Monsanto et al.) genetically modified basic grains that have been "modified" with everything from human breast milk, tears and saliva to frog piss-and these products aren't just coming from other countries when one soberly reads this bio-food industry propaganda article from August 11, 2005.

http://www.gmofoodforthought.com/2005/08/

Another aspect of this is revealed by an analysis of the institutions and foundations mentioned in this propaganda-but that would be going off-topic KoKo01.

Then there is the USDA, FDA and all the other bodies that were founded to protect the health of living creatures and regulate industries-now full of corrupt loyal Bushies, with a culture of death residing in their souls.

Fair use cited.

[Junkdrawer]

9. Well, that tends to explain why I've developed a Wheat Allergy over the last 5 years....

:mad:

[KoKo]

13. I couldn't understand why the Stores selling organics had a section for "Gluten Free Products"

until this pet food recall occurred. Then DU'ers posted some articles that seem to have some evidence that wheat gluten could have some connection with people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS sufferers for years have been told by gastroenterologists that their symtoms of gas and bloating were not "measurable" scientifically so there was no way to research for a cure. I know Celiac's disease sufferers can't eat wheat gluten but one does wonder how long wheat gluten has been imported from EU and China and how much of it here is produced from GMO wheat.

It's disturbing that we don't know what Human products it's in and if the contamination could be making us sick or killing us.

[Junkdrawer]

15. If true, it's the hidden wheat gluten that gets you...

I eat bread, and I'm OK...I eat a prepared soup thickened with wheat gluten, and the gas is awful...

[pnwmom]

21. You might want to see if that soup contains MSG.

Monosodium glutamate. That can cause a lot of symptoms.

[KoKo]

29. Yes....I can't handle MSG...not to the level where I need an anti-hystamine

shot like some folks...but I get palpitations from MSG and I notice Campbell's Healthy Choice Soups took MSG out. How many of our kids get dosed up on it and it has an effect their behavior and health. It's in so much of our food supply and how many busy parents can be detectives while both work two jobs and get their food mostly from fast food places while they are "on the run?"

Plus...under Bushies how do we know how much MSG is in cafeteria food? And, so much of the kids lunch has been let out to Privatization to McDonald's etc.

Hot Dogs that may be purchased "cheap" by strapped State Budgeteers might be filled with MSG and soups and hamburgers and whatever. It doesn't bother all people...but it does bother some and it's low level enough not to cause a trip to emergency room like peanut allergy but does cause symptoms.

And what about those Peanut Allergies. I grew up in South and no kid I knew years ago had a problem with peanuts but today it's a major problem causing airlines problems and package ingredients have to state if the food was processed in a factory where peanuts "might be processed."

Are those GMO Peanuts that are a problem? Is there something in the storage of the peanuts (where we know there are bacteria that can form "aphlatoxins" (sp) I think that can be dangerous for human consumption?

There's so much we don't know about our "manipulated" food supply. What we don't know should be investigated but with the Bushies Sound Science folks...it won't be. :-(

[pnwmom]

20. They have a section because almost 1 out of 100 Americans

are gluten intolerant -- although many don't realize it, because their doctors may not have diagnosed them yet. Doctors used to think that celiac disease or gluten intolerance was very rare, but epidemiological studies have put the number at closer to 1%. And even that probably understates the actual number, because the estimate is based on how many people have a particular type of intestinal damage or a particular dermatitis due to gluten -- but there are other people who have different effects, including liver problems and even neurological problems.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome should understand that that is a catch-all term. It's the name for a collection of symptoms, rather than a real diagnosis. Anyone with irritable bowel (especially white European-Americans) should have the blood tests to make sure that the bowel symptoms aren't caused by gluten intolerance. I'd actually go further and say anyone with GERD (bad heartburn) should be tested for gluten intolerance -- because mine also went away as soon as I had to stop gluten because of intestinal problems.

[Eurobabe]

14. Yeah and I wonder why I suddenly developed an autoimmune disease in 2003

that is slowly killing my thyroid gland??

And why are kids hyperactive and people so overweight, so many with metabolic disorders?

Inquiring minds want to know. :mad: :nuke: :mad:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

23. It's so maddening.

I'm sorry to hear that. I have severe fibromyalgia, and am in constant pain.

Sometimes, though, the very worst for those of us who are chronically ill . . . is the WHY. Something caused these weird diseases . . . they didn't surface until a few decades ago. And there's no way to find out what has happened. I'd bet my bottom dollar that you and I have been poisoned. But there's just no way to find out . . . cuz the whole damned environment is so toxic.

:hug:

[Eurobabe]

27. I consider myself lucky, mine can be treated with thyroid meds

BUT they come with their own set of issues: it's taken 4 years to find a dosage that doesn't either leave me too tired and exhausted, or whacked out with palpitations, anxiety etc. (I think many docs believe fibro is autoimmune in nature too.) I wonder about so many of these other syndromes we have now: ADHD, etc.

You could be right re: getting poisoned. I got a kidney stone out of the blue in 2001. That was the wake-up call that made me go organic. Who knows, if bees, cats, dogs, fish, frogs, birds and other living things are either dying or showing congenital defects -- what the heck are we doing to this world? :hug: back at ya!

[CrazyOrangeCat]

28. Yes, the fact that frogs are in serious decline . . .

. . . in so many areas, speaks volumes . . . .

[PuraVidaDreamin]

30. My boyfriend developed a Wheat/Gluten allergy 3 yrs ago!

A dermatitis (red, itchy rash) whenever he has
anything with Wheat and Gluten in it, or msg-
and modified food starch.

I've been experimenting with Gluten free flours
for breads, pancakes, pies and having great
success.

Since changing my diet to accomodate him because
I'm so cool, I've noticed that when I do eat
wheat I get headaches and very tired after.

[Eurobabe]

34. Only one cure.

Move to Europe.

I can eat wheat here without a problem, no bloating, weight gain. I can drink fine beer, eat delicious bread and not get the weird side effect I did in the USA. And too much wheat also bothered my chronic hashimotos back home, here I can eat what I want and not have blowback.

[Lasher]

36. I don't understand that.

Uncontaminated wheat gluten is simply wheat dough with the starch taken out. Do you believe your problems are coming from contaminants, or from the gluten that natularly occurs in wheat products?

[Junkdrawer]

38. I'm suspecting contaminants. n/t

[Lasher]

41. OK thanks for the reply

But there seems to be a consensus upthread that allergies to uncontaminated wheat gluten, such as that which natularly occurs in whole wheat, are developing. I don't see how that could be caused by contaminants.

[Bluerthanblue]

10. the breadbasket of the world sells itself to the devil for a profit-

People need to hear this-

And think about the irony.

thanks for the post.

peace,
blu


Recommending!!!

[bobthedrummer]

16. You are on the right track-think back to the eugenics programs of the Nazis

then review the "total war" ideologies of the loyal Bushies heavily influenced by the PNAC group.

WOE.

[Eurobabe]

12. If you got the wheat gluten from EU, I suspect it's better

than anything made in the US! To my knowledge, the EU does NOT allow GMOs. I'm hoping that we (here in the EU) get the all clear on the melamine stuff.

Sweet Jesus, don't let me find out that the EU is importing the wheat gluten for animal foods and people food from China.

Another agency that Bush has probably fucked up with his inbreeding -- the FDA. Who knows WHAT THE HELL people is in the USA's food chain thanks to Asshat cronyism?!

[Lurking Dem]

17. Millions of people eat seitan.

Are any of them sick?

[kestrel91316]

18. By some people's logic, we should disregard every word out of

Dr. Buffington's mouth and do the opposite - he is a veterinarian and therefore completely untrustworthy.

[rman]

19. keyword "some"

no reason for much concern

[kestrel91316]

26. Trouble is, the "somes" tend to get awfully noisy and shrill.............sigh.

[Speck Tater]

22. Support Communism -- buy Chinese! (nt)

[Tsiyu]

24. Many of us have been saying for years:

Watch your food supply, grow your own if you can.

And we were laughed at:

"How can an issue as mundane as our food supply be political? You tinfoil hatters are just going overboard! And grow my own food? What are you, some kind of hippy? Or some back to nature freak? I'm not getting my nails dirty for food! I go to Kroger, I pick up my frozen dinners and my macaroni and cheese and my bread and milk and I go home. Get over yourself with this doom and gloom about our food supply!"

Is anybody laughing now?

[bbgrunt]

25. k and r

[Raine]

31. WHY???

WHY can't American farmers in the heartland grow wheat for this country? Why is it coming from somewhere else??? This is totally ridiculous!

[Matariki]

32. Seitan!

damn and i love the stuff.

[cosmicdot]

33. has this article been changed/edited/revised?

looking around for a version which still has:

"About 70 percent of the wheat gluten used in the United States for human and pet food is imported from the European Union and Asia, according to the Pet Food Institute, an industry group."

found this link

http://fe22.news.re3.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070330/ap_on_go_ot/pet_food_recall

[femmedem]

37. Eating as much locally grown, unprocessed whole food as possible

is something we can all do. If you have a local farmers' market, support it. If you have even an 8'x4' sunny patch for a vegetable garden, use it. If you have a neighborhood empty lot where you could start a community garden, go for it.

And I am really a stickler for unprocessed foods. I'm one of those rare folks who genuinely enjoys tofu, but I consider it a convenience food, and usually stick to the whole bean.

I'm not saying the big corporations aren't to blame. They are. But it's easier to change the contents of our own cupboards than to change someone else's business.