An Idaho feed manufacturer received a warning letter, sent Feb.11, 2010, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for violating federal regulations prohibiting animal proteins in ruminant feed to control the spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.
The regulations are intended to prevent the establishment and amplification of BSE, according to the letter.
Rangen Inc. provides animal feed for dairy and beef cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, pets and horses. The family-owned, Idaho-based business distributes feed products to nine states, including Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Washington, California and Oregon, according to Food Safety News.
"Our investigation determined that adulteration resulted from the failure of your firm to provide for measures to avoid commingling or cross-contamination," FDA Seattle District Director Charles M. Breen said in the warning letter to Rangen made public last week. “The adulterated feed was subsequently misbranded because it was not properly labeled.”
After FDA investigators inspected Rangen animal feed manufacturing facilities, they found the company failed to use cleanout procedures to prevent the carry-over of products that contain or may contain proteins derived from mammalian tissues into animal feed potentially used for ruminants. They also discovered mink feed was not labeled ‘Do Not feed to cattle or other ruminants,’ auger trucks were not being cleaned effectively, bulk mink feed was misbranded and equipment containing mammalian tissues was used.
Rangen promised the FDA in a July 31 letter to "no longer purchase meat and bone meal for use in any of its animal feeds and existing inventories of mammalian protein ingredients would be exhausted by Dec. 31, 2009,” according to the letter.
The FDA also warned the feed company that failure to promptly correct the violations could possibly result in regulatory action, such as seizure and/or injunction, without any further notice.
The company has 15 days to respond to the letter.
Sources:
All About Feed. “US Feed company violated BSE controls,” http://www.allaboutfeed.net/news/us-feed-company-violated-bse-controls-4197.html; 09 March 2010.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “WARNING LETTER,” http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm201893.htm; 11 Feb. 2010.
Food Safety News. “Feed Company Violated BSE Controls,” http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/03/rules-to-control-bse-violated-by-feed-company/; 05 March 2010.
