Senator Bayh Issues Poisoned Poultry Wake-UP Call
U.S. Senator Evan Bayh today issued the following statement regarding the recent contamination of chicken feed at 38 poultry farms in Indiana by tainted wheat gluten imported from China. The wheat gluten used to make the feed was contaminated with the chemical melamine, the same substance that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has linked to dozens of pet deaths nationwide.
"Thousands of American pets are sick or dying because China exported poisoned pet food ingredients. We must treat this as a wake-up call to take more aggressive steps to guard against contamination of the human food supply.
"Chinese spiking of wheat gluten with an industrial byproduct like melamine raises some disturbing questions about China's commitment to the integrity of its food exports. The FDA is charged with ensuring the safety of what American families consume, and far more must be done at the federal level to honor this responsibility and toughen up our inspections regimen."