The Centers for Disease Control just released a shocking report of the health risks to employees at a pet food plant in Missouri. Mention of dangers in grains (aflatoxins), flavor additives (diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedion), and pesticides (phosphine) to employees certainly makes one wonder…if the manufacturing of pet food is dangerous to employees, what does eating the pet food do to our pets? Is commercial pet food not nearly as safe as industry and regulatory authorities want us to believe?
Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) just released a startling report of employee health hazards in pet food manufacturing. This report titled “Evaluation of health concerns at a pet food manufacturing facility – Missouri” – looks at employee (bold added) “concerns about vomiting, seizures, and breathing difficulties, as well as problems with their kidneys and livers, possibly related to substances used in the manufacture of pet food and dog biscuits and/or possible phosphine exposure,…”
Though it is not specifically stated in the CDC report – it is assumed this report is based on conditions at the Mars Petcare plant in Joplin, Missouri that closed in summer of 2013; the report states numerous times of the plant closing and states the plant was located in Missouri. To my knowledge, this Mars Petcare plant is the only plant that closed in Missouri recently.
Quotes from this CDC report…
“In September 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a confidential health hazard evaluation request from employees of a pet food manufacturing plant in Missouri. The requesters expressed concerns about vomiting, seizures, and breathing difficulties, as well as problems with their kidneys, livers, and lungs possibly related to substances used in the manufacture of pet food and dog biscuits and/or possible phosphine exposure, which is a fumigant applied to bulk materials prior to arriving at the facility.”
Note: Employees of this pet food plant suffered from “vomiting, seizures, and breathing difficulties, as well as problems with their kidneys, livers, and lungs possibly related to substances used in the manufacture of pet food and dog biscuits”. Who is looking at what the “substances used in the manufacture of pet food and dog biscuits” is doing to the dogs and cats eating these foods and biscuits?
“In the first half of 2012, this worker was evaluated seven times for chest pain or shortness of breath, with no cause identified. At the last of these evaluations, the chest x-ray showed abnormal thickening of the lining of the lungs, and a possible nodule, so the employee was referred for further evaluation, including a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest. At this time, the employee was told to use a respirator at work but reported that the request was denied by the company.”
“The breathing tests indicated asthma or an asthma-like condition, and bronchodilators were recommended. On December 24, 2013, the physician indicated there was reasonable medical probability that the worker’s respiratory condition was due to his workplace exposures at the pet food manufacturing facility.”
“Approximately two-thirds of the workers interviewed reported symptoms they felt were work-related. Some reported respiratory symptoms (cough, sneezing) around mill room dust or ingredients (such as flour, potassium, sodium metabisulfate, Cat Trace, or gravy powder). Some workers reported that ingredients irritated their eyes or nose, worsened their allergies, or that they coughed up colored sputum or had nasal secretions that appeared to have dye colors used in manufacturing. We also heard the term “bag house flu,” described as a flu-like illness with achiness and sore throat, which some workers experienced when working in the bag house, and for which they occasionally pretreated themselves with over-the-counter medicine such as Advil® or Nyquil®.”
“A few workers mentioned work-related symptoms of fatigue, tiredness, light-headedness, dizziness, headache, stomach ache, nausea, and/or vomiting associated with being in the mill room or in the railcar/truck unloading area. The majority of the workers attributed these symptoms to phosphine, as workers felt symptoms were more common in the summer months and after the opening of railcars that had been fumigated. “
Note: Again, what about the pets that consume phosphine (pesticide)? Has there been a thorough investigation proving that any residue of the phosphine pesticide left in the pet food is safe for our pets to consume?
“Review of Company Phosphine Monitor Data
We reviewed the company’s phosphine gas monitor data collection sheets from August 4 to December 17, 2012. The personal phosphine monitors were set to alert at threshold levels of 0.2 ppm and 0.3 ppm (which corresponds to the time-weighted average OSHA PEL). From August 4 to October 29, 2012, personal phosphine monitor measurements ranged between 0 and 5.85 ppm. On two days, there was a personal monitoring reading of 5.85 ppm around the auger. One of the confirmatory Draeger tube measurements for these instances was 0. For the other 5.85 ppm alert, the Draeger tube measurement was not recorded; there was a comment on the log sheet that it took the supervisor 15 minutes to collect the confirmatory measurement.”
“Review of Company Mold Sampling Results
Results showed airborne mold concentrations exceeded the measurement range of the sampler on four days for a total of 26 out of 377 samples (6.9%). Among the four days, every location sampled had at least one result that exceeded the measurement range.”
Note: Mold “that exceeded the measurement range”? Who’s been testing pet foods for molds that could pose a serious risk to pets?
“In the face of these limitations of the walk-through and investigations to date, we felt that we needed to further evaluate this question of possible work-related disease by conducting population-based symptom questionnaire interviews and medical testing of the plant population to see if clustering existed by exposure categories. Unfortunately, we were not able to schedule this evaluation in the face of plant closure.”
Note: Hmmm…one does wonder if this plant closed because CDC wanted to “further evaluate” conditions and the health of employees of the plant or if the pet food plant closed due to “A Mars PetCare official says there’s simply been less demand in stores for dry dog food. The official says the market has shifted towards smaller dogs.”
“Serious attention should be given to environments that have the potential for mycotoxin-containing airborne particles. Although many reports of aflatoxin exposure have been associated with ingestion of food, evidence exists that airborne mycotoxins can also produce disease [Saad-Hussein et al. 2013; Autrup et al. 1993; Dvorackova and Pichova 1986].”
Note: How high of levels of mycotoxins were in the raw ingredients that would cause ‘airborne exposure’ to be detected at this plant – so much so that CDC asks for “serious attention” to be given? And once again, what about the exposure of mycotoxins in the pet foods and treats? What about the pets exposed to these deadly molds?
“Recommendations
Elimination and Substitution”
(bold added) “Elimination and substitution of a toxic/hazardous process material have traditionally been highly effective means for reducing hazards. However, these may not be feasible approaches in this facility, because the potential hazards are inherent to the production of pet food. If sampling confirms elevated diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione when certain flavors are being used (such as hickory), and these chemicals are “naturally” produced, elimination of the flavoring may be considered.”
Note: “Potential hazards are inherent to the production of pet food.” Ugh.
This document has been forwarded to FDA (by me) in hopes that we can get some answers to what in the world really goes on behind closed doors in pet food manufacturing. Pet food consumers deserve to know. We deserve to be able to purchase safe, quality pet food for our furry family. It is very concerning that the health of employees of pet food manufacturing would be put at risk by simply working at a pet food plant – needless to say the concern we likely all share of the pets consuming these foods. The question remains…if there is this significant risk to employees of pet food manufacturing – what is pet food doing to the pets that consume the foods day in and day out?
When more is learned about this situation and/or the potential of similar conditions at other pet food manufacturing facilities – of course I will share with all of you as soon as I can (and I intend to be asking a lot of questions about this!). To read the full CDC report (recommended) Click Here.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
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Debbie
January 15, 2014 at 7:05 pm
Susan, thank you so much for this article. Scary that this is being ignored and I agree…if these ingredients are bothering those who are working with them, what are they doing to pets who are eating them? 🙁
Regina
January 15, 2014 at 7:36 pm
This is SCARY!!!!! Sooo, are the workers the “canary in the coal mine” that should be warning against feeding this to our pets?
Years ago, I had a job, and I was getting sick a lot from breathing in something. No one else was bothered by it, but I just could not work there any more, and I had to leave. It is a sad fact that in this economy these workers stayed at those jobs because it is so hard to find decent jobs.
It would be interesting to know what brands were manufactured there. I know that Mars does a lot of different brands, Nutro, Pedigree, Royal Canin, Cesars, Whiskas, etc.
Luther
January 20, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Last but not least (who Mars owns) is:
Banfield Veterinary located in PetSmarts.
Sad, but true.
Nina Wolf
January 15, 2014 at 7:43 pm
“dangers inherent to the production of pet food” really just sums it up, doesn’t it?
And yet there they are, Mars, on the AAFCO boards and advisories…
I am sickened, and I wasn’t anywhere near Missouri. Or a bag of Mars pet food.
Marilyn J. Caruso
January 15, 2014 at 9:13 pm
I tried to put this article on my Facebook page. I have five cats that do not like any canned cat food for the past year.
Mad
January 15, 2014 at 9:14 pm
I have said for years after having gone through 5 cats with Chronic Renal Failure. My vet keeps holding on to the fact that cats’ longevity has extended and the kidneys may be giving out with age. I contradicted him and said I think it’s more likely that there’s something they’re not getting in their food that they need to keep the kidneys healthy. Well, I guess we’re both wrong. It may be something that they ARE GETTING in their food.
Linda Muir
January 15, 2014 at 9:19 pm
What we do without Susan Thixton as our advocate? I cannot thank you enough for your research and the time you are taking to advise pet owners of the inherent dangers of pet food. The pet food industry is committing to making money at the expense of our pet families. They are criminals, pure and simple. I have used Susan’s book to warn all the pet owners I know. I am doing my best to carry the message.
Two of my cats are almost 14 years old and both have serious health issues. Much of their diseases were caused by pet food that was unsafe, I am sure. My two younger boys will be healthier, I believe, because of my awareness to purchase grain free, natural food. Even now I am not sure who or what I should believe.
I trust Susan and would like to follow her guidelines to make my own food for my pets. I haven’t gotten there yet, but at least I am buying Dave’s and ?Fussie Cat and Fromm. No Mars, no Purina, no Science Diet. I try to select from her list. I wish everyone would.
Susan Thixton
January 15, 2014 at 9:41 pm
Thanks Linda.
We all deserve to know what exactly goes on behind the closed doors of pet food manufacturing – this proves there is much hidden from the pet food consumer. I just can’t imagine how sick those people are – and just how sick pets have become. The pet illnesses all undiagnosed/not attributed to the pet foods. It’s very sad. Perhaps this is part of the reason why the industry ingredient trade show won’t let me in the door (refused me admission for 2 years now).
Laurie Matson
January 15, 2014 at 9:43 pm
What exactly is Cat Trace and Dog Trace?
Susan Thixton
January 15, 2014 at 9:47 pm
I assume this is the vitamin/mineral premix. I’ll have to ask around to confirm.
Laurie Matson
January 16, 2014 at 1:14 am
Thank you Susan!! 🙂
chuck linker
January 16, 2014 at 1:25 am
People smoking around dogs is WORSE for dogs than humnas. Here’s why. (common sense)
Thier lungs are smaller and the smoke with all its chemicals, killing nicotine and pathogens don’t have to travel far at all to inflict & coat thier lungs ande esophogus. That’s fatel over a period of time from the buildup.
Or to those of you who smoke, do you say or think “Oh, no matter. It’s jUST the dog.
Too bad our canines can’t respond to you.
This is also true for cats.
Dr. Amy
January 16, 2014 at 6:02 am
This literally made me feel viscerally ill! Susan, I think this is the worst news I have read yet about commercial processed dog food and I am just shocked! I really am surprised that this hasn’t hit the media. What are they thinking about using these chemical around (in?) our dogs’ food? And aflatoxins–that is one of my huge concerns in grain based foods. And, my pet peeve: WHY does FDA have zero tolerance for ANY salmonella–live or dead–when some strains are not pathogenic to dogs—but no aflatoxin policy–when that is a known carcinogen and can also be acutely harmful to our dogs???
Dr Amy
http://dramyrawdogfoodresearch.com/RawDogFoodResearch/Blog__the_challenge_and_the_journey/Blog__the_challenge_and_the_journey.html
http://www.facebook.com/RawDogFoodResearch
lynn
January 16, 2014 at 6:58 am
IF… this isn’t a warning to ALL pet parents … then what will it take?! Thank you Susan!!!!!Are they trying to kill off all pets?!
John H.
January 16, 2014 at 8:27 am
Susan… you are the BEST! My woofs are happy and healthy. They look and feel great – all because of you and your efforts to keep us informed.
Thank you so much…Good health and happiness to you and your family always. ♥
Debi
January 16, 2014 at 8:56 am
Even if the FDA gets this article, will they do anything about it? I think not.
kris
January 16, 2014 at 11:28 am
so..what pet food was this? what is the name of it? i feed raw so it really does not effect me but still…
Peter
January 16, 2014 at 1:53 pm
No long-term safety testing of these pet foods or treats has EVER been performed. The standards for testing endorsed by AAAFCO are very meager. So-called “lethal dose” (acute toxicology) tests are not enough. It is the pet parent him/herself who conducts “lifetime” testing of these awful products… and as TAPF articles have repeatedly discussed, the continual, long-term low-dose exposure to toxins can lead to a myriad of health problems and shorter lifespans for the dogs and cats who consume these products.
LindyHop
January 16, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Read “Work Wonders – Feed your dog raw meaty bones” by Tom Lonsdale. It will answer all your questions, oh and you’ll never feed your dog “dog food” again!
Jeanie Kilgour
January 16, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Is there any ay we can find our which BRANDS of food/treats were manufactured here (and in their other facilities)?
Susan Thixton
January 16, 2014 at 5:14 pm
I’m not for certain all brands that were made at this facility – but one of the news broadcasts about the plant closing stated Pedigree and private label brands. But Mars Petcare itself manufactures Royal Canin, Nutro, Pedigree, Whiskas, and Greenies.
Truthaboutpetfood.jp
January 16, 2014 at 11:17 pm
Susan,
Thank you for working hard at all times for us.
Time for the Truth has come finally!!!
Following is the list of Mars Family members:
Advance,Aquarian,Catsan,Champ,Chappie,Dentabone,Dentarask,Dentastix,Dine,Exelpet,Frolic,Golden Cob,Gourmania,Greenies,James Wellbeloved,Jumbone,KalKan,Kitbits,KiteKat,Loyal,Markies,Marrobone,Max,Miss Cat,My Dog,Natural Choice,Natusan,Nutro,Optimum,Oral Fresh Biscuit,Pal,Pedigree,Perfect Fit,Pockets,Profilum,Ringo,Rodeo,Royal Canin,Schmackos,Sheba,Temptations,The Goodlife Recipe,Thomas.Thrill,Ultra,Waltham Diets,Whiskas Bio,Whiskas,Winergy,Banfield, The name of a Pet Hospital run by Mars
DD
January 28, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Here (from the full report) are the magic words insuring absolutely nothing will be done:
.
“We make the following recommendations . . . so that this guidance . . .”
“Continue voluntary use of N95 respirators.”
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So, recommendations, guidance, and voluntary = Absolutely Nothing Will Change. That’s the way politics work. I’ve seen it too many times to count. Those words, whether used individually or together – a veritable booty kiss to industry that everything is just fine and nothing will be done. But, it also covers the govs booty with media and public perceptions about “getting things done.”
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I must say that “booty” in the pirate sense, is what that type of theater is all about. Money for elections, maybe the Jobs, Jobs, Jobs that really aren’t about Jobs, but about corporations sucking money Out Of the state through corpowelfare and kickbacks, etc.
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At any rate. . . this made me think of a story Mother Jones (real journalists!) covers a few years ago.
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Workers in the meat industry (Hormel/SPAM) were dealing with terrible illnesses because of “brain blood mist” after Hormel sped up the “cut and kill line.” Workers got frightening autoimmune disorders that even the Mayo Clinic and other luminaries of the health industry couldn’t figure out.
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IIRC, Hormel/SPAM fired sick workers, then closed plants. Then Hormel/SPAM made a shell company to rip off workers even further.
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Finally, the doctors thought the illnesses so scary and pervasive; they called the State Department of Health. The DoH refused to diagnose the illnesses the way the doctors with all the experience had. After that, the Hormel shell company was ordered in a class action lawsuit to pay the sick workers. Then, ICE started investigating employees. But of course, that was just happenstance!
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Lots of other terrible stuff happened. In the end, Nothing was done. Hormel voluntarily took the brain machine off the line, but the state and federal gov never made it Mandatory, even though many workers got so ill they couldn’t work. It’s still some “mystery disease.”
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Hormel or others could still use the machines that make “brain blood mist” if they feel like it. After people forget. Because the only thing that matters is if something is Mandatory. Recommendations, guidance, and voluntary are thumbs up to whatever horror was “stopped,” happening again, at some time in the future.
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Well, I decided to look up the story. If they treat human beings like this (which corps do regularly), you think they care about our beloved animals?
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Here’s the info:
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The Spam Factory’s Dirty Secret
First, Hormel gutted the union. Then it sped up the line. And when the pig-brain machine made workers sick, they got canned.
Here’s the story all on one page: http://www.motherjones.com/print/115121
Here’s the story on individual pages: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/hormel-spam-pig-brains-disease
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DD
January 28, 2014 at 5:22 pm
Or if you just want to get the jist of the thing, here some from PAGE 4:
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“ Once we were inside a tight, private office borrowed for the occasion, Bower shut the door and closed the blinds. She sat behind the desk and spoke from a set of prepared talking points. She seemed taxed by the dilemma of owning up to QPP’s role in the outbreak without accepting culpability. I felt bad for her. But I didn’t know then that she’d served as one of the four directors of Albert Lea Select Foods [DC], another “co-packer” for Hormel in a nearby town—another company headed by Kelly Wadding, headquartered at the same accounting firm in Dallas, and, as of 2008, 100 percent controlled by the Blaine Jay Corporation. Shortly after that transaction, Select Foods, which then described itself as “an extension of Quality Pork Processors,” announced a $1.5 million expansion that dramatically increased capacity and added more than 100 nonunion jobs—many filled by an influx of Karen refugees from Burma, who were legal under asylum laws.
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Bower seemed focused on defending the speed of QPP’s response to the outbreak and showing management’s deep caring for the affected workers. “When the public health department came on site, we had open meetings with all of the employees in our two big break rooms,” she said. “They took them off their work time, paid them for their time, and the president of the company and our HR manager and myself and anyone else that was involved talked to them, had interpreters, explained what was going on. We had weekly meetings just like that with everybody in the plant for the following four, five, six weeks.”
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I asked why they hadn’t simply informed workers in writing, noting that the lunchroom held barely a hundred people. It would have taken a dozen or so meetings at each step of the process to inform all 1,300 QPP workers in the manner she described. Her calm reserve faltered.
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“We had multiple meetings,” she said, growing flushed. “We would have the day hot side, the day cold side, livestock. We probably had four meetings in a row. Day and night. For weeks.”
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Nevertheless, many affected workers didn’t know all the facts. Susan Kruse, who was at home and unable to work, didn’t learn of the outbreak until she saw it on the evening news. Emiliano Ballesta didn’t know how widespread the illness was until he arrived for a steroid treatment at the Austin Medical Center and found the waiting room filled with his coworkers. Back at work after another five months out sick, Matthew Garcia was surprised to discover that Dr. Lachance had ordered him, along with a group of fellow employees, put on light duty and referred to another Mayo Clinic neurologist.
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Those who did attend the meetings, people like Miriam Angeles, remember the break-room gatherings very differently from Carole Bower. When Angeles spoke to me at Austin’s Centro Campesino with the cultural center’s director, Victor Contreras, serving as interpreter, she said management insisted that, although people from QPP had become sick, there was no evidence that the illness originated from inside the plant. The managers instructed workers to keep quiet until the company made a public statement. “We prohibit any comment about this,” she remembered being told. “Anyone who comments on this disease, you could lose your job.”
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Affected workers were instructed not to identify themselves in the group meetings nor ask questions. In one meeting, however, a sick worker rose in a swell of panic to ask Kelly Wadding, “What’s going to happen with my health?”
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Wadding, according to Angeles, said: “Sit down. We’re going to talk to you in the nurse’s office.”
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After that, there were more meetings, but sick workers were afraid to speak out. They whispered in locker rooms. They phoned each other at home. They slowly figured out who some of their sick coworkers were, but when Wadding called a final meeting to announce that the mystery illness was under control, Angeles said the affected workers were too scared to say anything. And, though they were all in the UFCW, neither Local 9 nor the bosses in Washington took up their cause.
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To this day, there is no agreed-upon number of QPP workers who were affected by the illness. The MDH conducted a survey [DC] and found 15. In his published study based on rigorous testing, Lachance says he found 21. Thirteen were sufficiently incapacitated to file workers’ compensation claims against QPP. The count is further complicated by the revelation that MDH reached out to the two other plants in America where pork brains were being harvested with compressed air, and some published reports include seven additional cases from the Indiana Packers plant in Delphi, Indiana, and one more from the Hormel plant in Fremont, Nebraska. Angeles didn’t seek out other affected workers. She resolved to just do her work and keep quiet. She never complained, she told me, even though she claims that her supervisor never honored her doctor’s orders that she sit for 15 minutes every two hours. When the strong medications that had been prescribed for pain in her arms left her with blurred vision, the supervisor still refused to let her take a break. “No,” Angeles says she was told, “you have to keep working.”
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In May 2008, five months after the MDH visit, an outside social worker, Roxanne Tarrant, was assigned to guide employees through filing workers’ compensation claims. (Under Minnesota law, filing a claim precludes the possibility of a lawsuit.) In a successful claim—which is not dependent on employment or immigration status—the injured party can receive wage-loss, medical, and/or rehabilitation benefits. Those benefits—which in a case like this could cost millions, mostly in medical claims—would be paid for by insurance; QPP’s insurer was an AIG subsidiary. However, a recent appellate ruling [DC] reveals that QPP’s policy had a $600,000 deductible for “Each Accident or each Person for Disease.” QPP argued that the outbreak constituted one “accident.” The court disagreed, making QPP pay $600,000 per affected worker, which could total more than $7 million.
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As the workers began filing their claims, QPP offered Angeles and several others about $20,000 each as a preemptive settlement. But QPP’s offer required workers to forfeit medical benefits. Doctors were still determining whether workers’ nerve damage was temporary or long-term, whether they would ever be able to work again or faced permanent disability. The workers rejected the offer.
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Days later, on the Monday morning after the long Fourth of July weekend, Angeles was told to report to human resources, where she was informed that there was a problem with her identification. Angeles, who’d been working under another name, knew she was about to be fired. Would she continue to have her health insurance? Would she still qualify for worker’s comp?
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“They said, ‘That’s your problem.'”
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Angeles’ voice turned soft, lost in that memory.
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“I feel thrown away,” she said, finally. “Like a piece of trash. Before, I worked hard and willingly for QPP, but after I got sick and needed restrictions and told them I was in pain, they threw me away like trash and were done with me.” ”
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Laurie Matson
January 28, 2014 at 11:29 pm
This was a fascinating and eye opening read!! Thank you so much for sharing this article!!!
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david lotz
March 19, 2014 at 2:42 am
keep up your good and important work. as we ‘baby boomers’ buy malox, rocking chairs, and the vital companionship of a ‘pet’ hopefully to last through our golden years the importance of pet health rivals our own. losing a cat or dog to the callous acts of thirty-something bean counters could literally mean the difference between life and death for the seniors putting food on said ‘kids’ dinner tables. I can think of NO HIGHER CALLING than that which you all dedicate your time and efforts to. if i may say so, GOD BLESS YOU