The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has launched an investigation into potentially contaminated poultry feed from a rendering facility in Alberta.
Kim Redden, CFIA’s feed program specialist in the western area, said the feed contaminated with specified risk materials (SRM) was distributed and incorporated into poultry feed outside Alberta, but the feed came from a rendering facility in Alberta.
“A small amount of contaminated product was mixed with a fairly significant amount of product,” said Redden of Winnipeg.
Most of the potentially contaminated feed has been identified, contained and will be disposed of. The rendering facility is working with CFIA officials to identify and dispose of all potentially contaminated feed.
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Redden said they have not yet looked into a cause for the contamination, and have focused on recalling and identifying all the product to ensure disposal.
The contaminated feed poses no health risk to poultry and does not affect the safety of poultry meat and eggs. The Canadian food system has not been infected.
Redden would not provide details of how the contamination occurred, but she said CFIA works with industry to make sure proper processes are followed.
In cattle infected with BSE, SRMs are the tissues known to harbour the disease. The tissues are removed from all cattle slaughtered for human consumption and are prohibited from use in animal feed, pet food and fertilizer.
Redden said government officials can enforce penalties against the rendering facility, if the investigation reveals penalties are warranted.
