Document v6zJ4QjMqn19Drq88dma2QpX8

nsiYio , PlATiONstL / tf. LJ UNO /'.'a'.'iJiS A SSOCIA I ll).\, Inr. 3150 DES PI AIM'S AVE. TCI. 827 -151 DES PLAINES. IlllNOlS ul3 AKEA 3)2 September 2, 1971 id . All Active & Associate Members isom. Dean A. Specht ccjies io. . suntCT.f IMPORTANT -- PCB1 c in Animal By-Products . " Another new and serious problem for our industry has develop.-.! rapidly during the past few months and it has all tho potential for a full-blown crisis. Without minimizing the Salmonella problem wo have been living with, this could be far greater. Vfa speak of contamination of our finished products - both proteins and fats - with PCB's known by their full name as Polychlorinated Uiphennls. PCB's are largely found as heat transfer agents in closed systems, but are also found in lesser concentrations in some cleansing agents and disinfectants. While USDA allows a tolerance in ready-to-eat poultry and pork of 5 ppm (parts per million) and .5 ppm in eggs and ecjg products, FDA presently allows no tolerance for PCB's in animal feeds and, thereby, lies the problem. PCB's were found to contaminate meat and bone meal and tankage at a level of 1 ppm in Illinois and 10,000 pounds had already been incorporated into animal feeds so tire feed was vol untarily held off the market. There are other cases we could relate since the 100,000 birds at Holly Farm ware destroyed, but they would only serve to demonstrate further the problem we cur rently face. PCB's tend to concentrate in the fat of animals, making the contamination in meat scrap and tankage especially serious in the eyes of FDA. Urge you to read the enclosed for more details on this problem. . We assure you that HRA is moving'quickly on this natter. Members in widely separated geographical areas have been asked to cooper ate in a product testing program to provide accurate data on PCB levels. V7e have also received splendid cooperation from other members vho have boon involved with the PCB problem and presently have test results of their own: MUMS 098512 -2- A meeting"will be lield with FDA just ns quickly as factual infor mation becomes available... this week, if possible. Hopefully, we will be able to urge FDA to cot a reasonable tolerance by pointing out that we cannot deliver PCB-froc fats and proteins without BCD-free raw material. '' . . Action You Could Take......... . j.,, / . ' . Should a'member wish to spot check his own production, please " share a copy of,tho result with KRA. , We assure you the informa-' tion will bo kept in absolute confidence with no reference as to company name or location. If high levels of PCB's are detected, : . it may be well to take one step further in an attempt to isolate high levels of PCD in principal suppliers' raw materials. There will always remain, .of course, the problem of what is to be done with the tons of raw material if it is not rendered. Be aware, . too, that cleaning agents could contain high levels of PCB's - check the label to be cure. r . We will keep you advised of developments as they occur. Mean while, should you have some facts which would be valuable to us in our efforts, v;e urge you to call' us immediately. DAS :rjw:jaf ' Enc. ` MONS 098513