Contaminated Pet Food Causes Human Food Scare

[PhilipShore]

Source: Toronto Daily News

Many shipments of fish products from China and Vietnam had been refused entry into the U.S. because of contaminants found in the fish.

As imported Chinese wheat gluten takes the blame for the recent deaths of dozens of American pets, new concerns have risen over the safety of Asian-grown foods imported to the United States for human consumption.

Roger Barlow, executive vice president of Catfish Farmers of America, referred to federal reports over the last several months that show many shipments of catfish-like products from China and Vietnam had been refused entry into the U.S. because of contaminants found in the fish.

"During the twelve months ending January 2007," said Barlow, "forty-nine shipments of Chinese farmed catfish were refused by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, because they contained banned and potentially dangerous chemicals and antibiotics. In January 2007 alone, 10 shipments were refused entry, up from 2 refusals in January 2006."

Read more: http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.php/BusinessNews/2007040208pet-food

[DCKit]

1. Fish and shrimp farmers routinely use

Pesticides, banned and otherwise
Antibiotics, banned and otherwise
Fertilizers, banned and otherwise
Herbicides, banned and otherwise

It is impossible to grow inordinate numbers of fish or shrimp in close quarters without chemicals.

Finally, the local environmental damage these fish and shrimp farms do is incalculable.

[iconoclastic cat]

2. What is a "catfish-like product"?

And why am I not tantilized by the prospect?

[populistdriven]

6. basa fish

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangasius_bocourti

US stores were labeling this as catfish until the US farmers complained

[Sequoia]

3. The President of America blames every chemical spill,

toxic dump, and the resulting contaminated food supply not on the companies responsible, but on "terrorists." American corporations dump their engineered food on Africa and Honduras as food aid. Land Rovers and other gas guzzlers get tagged while stuck in traffic. Environmental revolutionaries are hunted by the feds as thousands engage in acts of ecotage to defend what is left of the Earth. Environmental groups go undercover into American supermarkets and test the food to see if it is truly safe. Sounds like today?s headlines, but it is actually from the first few chapters of a 1972 science fiction book by John Brunner..The Sheep Look Up. If you?re curious about what comes next, BenBella Books is putting this long out-of-print book back in circulation this summer. British author John Brunner wrote this story of ecological resistance right when the modern environmental movement was just starting to take off.

When did you last bask in the sun, friends? When did you last dare drink from a creek? When did you last risk picking fruit and eating it straight from the tree? What were your doctor?s bills last year? Which of you live in cities where you don?t wear a filtermask?
- John Brunner, The Sheep Look Up


http://news.diversebooks.com/reviews/03/07/15/1121233.shtml

[PhilipShore]

4. Thanks, I will read the book n/t

[Sequoia]

5. It's pretty scary.

Another DUer mentioned this book in the Fiction book forum.

[Hekate]

7. I think the last thing I read by Brunner was Stand on Zanzibar, which is also excellent

Thanks for the mention -- I'll keep an eye out for The Sheep Look Up. Brunner is an exceptional writer; many of the images from Zanzibar have remained with me ever since.

Science fiction authors who turn their attention to society and ecology are often prescient. I cut my teeth on f&sf, and there are times I get a sense of deja vu...

Hekate

[arikara]

8. Europe's Best

One of my friends was going to buy a package of fruit labelled "Europe's Best", she turned over the tag and it was marked Imported from China. You have to check everything these days, even - or especially - the food. Its bad enough that everything else in the stores is now shipped over from China and even worse, made to be disposable.

My solution: buy quality food products that were grown / manufactured as close to home as possible even if costs more. No processed fast foods. I more than save the price of food back on clothing and other stuff because I only shop in thrift stores or garage sales. For example, I got the nicest vintage blazer (made in England) that fit like it was made for me for the princely sum of 50 cents.