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Ractopamine, banned in 160 countries (even in China) and the FDA says it is safe for humans!
By:Oldman Jr
Date: 2/6/2010, 10:03 pm

From:  http://www.letterfromserendipity.com/serendipity37.htm#terror

Health Freedom Alliance Calls It The New "Terror Hormone"

The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was introduced for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular. Now this appalling stuff is in our food chain, without anyone being asked "Do you mind?"

What's the big deal? Answer is: ractopamine is dangerous and has already been banned in 160 countries. It is responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs. Angry farmers were phoning the manufacturer to complain at their loss. There is nothing they can do. Why? BECAUSE THE FDA SAYS THIS SUBSTANCE IS SAFE TO ADD TO HUMAN FOOD. Once again, the fox is in charge of the hen house. Some corrupt FDA louse is collecting big money to lie and obscure the issues.

In America, the dollar is always sacrosanct. You can kill as many as you want, so long as there are dollars in it.

Isn't it also another version of America's xenophobia? Most Americans don't even KNOW what's going on in the rest of the world. They wouldn't rate it if they did. So it is easy for bodies like the FDA to fool the public here.

Part of the evil is that, unlike the growth promoting antibiotics and hormones, which are withdrawn as the animal nears slaughter, ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter.

As much as twenty percent of Paylean, given to pigs for their last 28 days, Optaflexx, given to cattle their last 28 to 42 days and Tomax, given to turkeys their last 7 to 14 days, remains in consumer meat says author and well known veterinarian Michael W. Fox. Ractopamine is used in 45 percent of US pigs, according to Elanco Animal Health, which manufactures all three products.

Ractopamine is even banned in China (not famous for its food protection).

Note that its handling instructions are: “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask”. Yet the FDA has classed it as safe to swallow!

In fact it is not all the FDA's fault. Elanco are accomplished liars and cheats. In a 14-page warning letter to them, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Surveillance and Compliance accused Elanco of withholding information about “safety and effectiveness” and “adverse animal drug experiences” upon which ractopamine was approved.

Why was there no mention of the farmer phone calls to Elanco reporting, “hyperactivity,” “dying animals,” “downer pigs” and “tying up” and “stress” syndromes, asks the FDA letter. Where was the log of phone calls that included farmers saying, “animals are down and shaking,” and “pig vomiting after eating feed with Paylean”?

But, not to worry; business as usual. Despite ractopamine’s dangers and the falsified approval documents, the FDA still approved ractopamine the following year for cattle–and last year for turkeys.

An article in the 2003 Journal of Animal Science confirms that “ractopamine does affect the behavior, heart rate and catecholamine profile of finishing pigs and making them more difficult to handle and potentially more susceptible to handling and transport stress.”

The FDA’s approval of a drug for food that requires impervious gloves, goggles and a mask just to touch it makes a farce of care for human health and safety.

 http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Opinion/bovine_growth_hormone_love_b

Picture source:
 http://www.nycanimalrights.com/Pig%20Being%20Pulled%20by%20Ear%20to%20Sl
See also:
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