Catfish cleared of dioxin; eggs still being sampled

Catfish that had consumed feed inadvertently contaminated with the toxic chemical dioxin are now cleared by FDA for processing and shipping. FDA had originally halted sale of these fish, but new data show that dioxin levels are below the level of concern. At press time, the agency still had not cleared for sale eggs from poultry that ate the contaminated feed.

The detected dioxin levels pose no immediate health hazard, and consumers should not hesitate to consume catfish or eggs bought on the retail market.

After finding elevated levels of dioxin in two of 80 poultry samples, FDA on July 7 told makers of the tainted animal feed to stop further distribution and use of the feed. The agency told catfish and egg producers not to ship their products if the fish or chickens had eaten the feed. The agency said the companies could resume shipping only if they showed through testing that the human food contained less dioxin than 1 part per trillion.

Investigation by FDA and other federal and state agencies showed that the dioxin source was "ball clay," a common anti-caking agent added to soybean meal. The ball clay was traced to a Mississippi clay mine, which stopped shipping the clay for feed use.

"Dioxin" refers to a class of chemical pollutants created as byproducts of chemical manufacturing, incineration, chlorine bleaching of paper other industrial processes. Dioxins exist in the environment at low levels and are known to accumulate in the food chain. Continued high exposure to dioxins can increase the risk of cancer and other health problems.