North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hi All,

 

I really enjoy piecing together news.  God knows you cannot rely on the media to do it.

 

As you know melamine contaminated feed has been linked to pet deaths.  Then melamine contaminated feed was fed to pigs, and the melamine contaminated pork hit the store shelves (thanks Tyson).

 

Of course we are told no recall is necessary, for melamine is of little risk to humans.

 

What they do not tell you is that it was not the melamine alone that killed the pets.  The melamine combined in the kidneys of the animals with another contaminate and crystallized, hindering kidney function.

 

What was this other contaminate?  A common poolside chemical, found in most every swimming pool and hot tub. 

 

The University of Guelph (Guelph, Ontario veterinary college) has already explored it.

 

Discovery by Guelph, Ont., scientists may show how recalled pet food became toxic

Noor Javed, Canadian Press

Published: Saturday, April 28, 2007

TORONTO (CP) - A chemical process that occurs between two compounds, one used to make plastics and another employed in pool chlorination, may explain how North American pets were affected, some fatally, by recalled pet food products, researchers suggest.

Cyanuric acid, which was found in urine samples from animals that died, and melamine, a compound identified in the gluten found in the recalled pet food, react with one another to form crystals that may block kidney function, researchers at the University of Guelph said Friday.

 

What is cyanuric acid? – Cyanuric acid is a weak acid that is marketed as a chlorine “stabilizer” for swimming pools.  Other terms used by the pool supply industry are “isocyanurates”, “conditioner” or “CYA”.  When exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, the free chlorine in the pool water will break down and escape.  Cyanuric acid is intended to reduce this loss of chlorine.

Now for the extra score bonus question…  Name one animal that eats pork and swims in pools treated with cyanuric acid? 

 

I knew you would get it.  So melamine alone will not kill you, unless you go swimming and ingest a bit of pool water.  So if drowning doesn’t get you the kidney failure will.

 

Later,

Tom