In a recent national survey of 80 poultry samples conducted by FDA, USDA and the EPA, 2 samples were found to have elevated levels of dioxin. An investigation traced the source of the dioxin to "ball clay" which is commonly added to soybean meal as a "flowing" or anti-caking agent. The soybean meal is then added to some animal feeds. The ball clay was traced to a single mine in Mississippi, which at the request of FDA has ceased mining and shipping the clay.
The term "dioxin" refers to a class of environmentally persistent chemical compounds that are inadvertently created through a number of activities, including certain types of chemical manufacturing, combustion, chlorine bleaching of pulp and paper and other industrial processes.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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