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Re: [SANET-MG] arsenic in poultry food
Hello Edna Weigel,
I have enclosed an abstract of an article that may answer your question.
The antibiotic roxarsone is used to treat chickens to make them grow
faster. FDA approved the arsenic antibiotic and it is claimed 70 percent
of commercial feeds contain the antibiotic. Compost from chicken manure
are rich in inorganic arsenic from antibiotic breakdown. Arsenic is a
human carcinogen and effects blood circulation. Arsenic in drinking
water is a huge problem in Asia but that arsenic comes from geology and
from fallout from burning low quality coal. Organic chicken producers
may score as people become more aware of the arsenic in conventional
chicken products.Free range chickens should, in theory be less polluted
with arsenic than conventional chickens Hope this helps, prof. joe cummins
Stolz JF, Perera E, Kilonzo B, Kail B, Crable B, Fisher E, Ranganathan
M, Wormer L, Basu P.
Abstract Biotransformation of 3-nitro-4-hydroxybenzene arsonic acid
(roxarsone) and release of inorganic arsenic by Clostridium species.
Environ Sci Technol. 2007 Feb 1;41(3):818-23.
The extensive use of 3-nitro-4-hydroxybenzene arsonic acid (roxarsone)
in the production of broiler chickens can lead to increased soil arsenic
concentration and arsenic contaminated dust. While roxarsone is the
dominant arsenic species in fresh litter, inorganic As (V) predominates
in composted litter. Microbial activity has been implicated as the cause,
Edna Weigel wrote:
A friend just learned arsenic is sometimes added to poultry food
and she's worried that maybe the pellets she buys for her ducks and
geese may contain arsenic. She has checked the label but worries that
arsenic might be added but not listed among the ingredients or might
be somehow hidden among the many chemicals on the list. My
inclination is to think that if it is added, it would have to be
listed (as arsenic, arsenite, or arsenate) on the ingredients label,
but I'm not absolutely sure. I'm already aware that one just about
has to be chemist, botanist, microbiologist, AND linguist to figure
out if a given (people) food contains animal products, soy products or
sugar, etc.
Can someone out there tell us what form of arsenic is added to some
poultry food and if there is a way to make sure what she buys doesn't
contain added arsenic in any form?
I might add that certified organic poultry food is not a reasonable
option in our area. I know of no source for which shipping would not
bring the price higher than what I pay for "people food grade"
ingredients at our food co-op.
Regards,
Edna
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