Chicken Jerky dog treats imported from China continue to pose serious health problems for American dogs. But despite five years of research and testing, it's not clear why, according to the latest product safety update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the July 18 update, the agency stops short of telling consumers not to feed the treats to their pets, but urges people who choose to do so to watch their pets for tellltale signs of serious illness: decreased appetite and activity, vomiting, diarrhea, and an increase in water consumption and urination. The dried chicken products are sold as "jerky," "tenders," "strips" or "treats." The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has ben receiving complaints of canine illness associated with chicken jerky treats … [Read more...]
Coalition Urges President to Release FSMA Rules
On Tuesday July 17, 2012, a coalition of foodborne illness victims and food safety organizations called Make Our Food Safe asked President Obama to release key food safety rules that are stuck at the Office of Management and Budget. The rules, part of the 2010 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), cover produce safety, packaged food safety, and imported food safety. The administration says that the rules are complicated and that the review of the rules is a lengthy process. But representatives of the Pew Health Group, STOP Foodborne Illness, and the American Academy of Pediatrics say they are outraged that these critical rules have not been released. Erik Olson of the Pew Health Group said that the delays are causing real problems. In fact, he said, "the FDA recently sent a letter to … [Read more...]
