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Your Food: Toxic Mold Found in Iowa, S.D.Corn
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by PEP | October 17, 2007 at 04:45 am
747 views | 4 Recommendations | 6 comments
The fact that 25 to 30% of the early harvest in one area was rejected for having larger-than-allowed aflatoxin is bad news, maybe good news, and puzzling news.
The bad news is that there's such a high amount of a substance that causes cancer and has previously killed pets via dog food. The "maybe good" news is that at least some of it's being caught. The puzzling news is: why are any amounts of a toxin allowed into our food supply?
Farmers in northwestern Iowa and southeastern South Dakota have found aflatoxin, a mold that can cause cancer in humans if consumed in large amounts, in their recently harvested corn, said a researcher at Iowa State University and a county extension agent on Tuesday.(clip)
n addition to Iowa, the nation's top corn producing state,
aflatoxin has been found in neighboring Union County in South
Dakota. Both areas suffered high temperatures and a drought
this summer, which favor the development of the toxin.Aflatoxin is a byproduct of a fungus that grows on corn,
peanuts and other crops. Consuming aflatoxin in large amounts
can cause liver cancer in humans or kill animals.In 2005, the FDA found that 76 dogs died after eating
Diamond Pet Food made at the company's Gaston, South Carolina,
plant.The Farmers Cooperative Co, which has three grain elevators
in northwest Iowa, has rejected about 25 to 30 percent of the
corn brought in for having more than 20 parts per billion of
aflatoxin, said general manager Roger Price.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 08:59 on October 17th, 2007
PEP, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Have you read Fast Food Nation? Great book.
at 18:16 on October 23rd, 2008
damnnn this page sucks 4 real only 1 comment en a year!! fuck you guys 4 real grow up this page is soo like "LAME" itsa wack!
at 10:21 on October 24th, 2008
chacii, please try to communicate in a more polite manner. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, but keep in mind that it is up to members to post the news. If you are interested in learning more about Aflatoxins, you might start a search on the net and choose to share your new knowledge with the readers.
at 14:50 on February 5th, 2009
nice site you have!
at 23:12 on February 12th, 2009
Aflatoxins are also in peanut butter and a certain amount is allowed in it.
Certain weather conditions and storing practices can cause it to be in certain foods.
One year, about 20 years ago, the corn supply was so polluted with aflatoxins but has already gotten into the food chain, it was impossible to even recall all the food. For the first time, the Wall Street Journal has a whole page article on it.
I didn't eat corn products for a whole year.
You may find the book, "The Day of St. Anthony's Fire" an interesting read.
St. Anthony's Fire was a disease caused by a certain mold in food which grew when certain weather conditions were present and it killed everyone who ingested it.
These things have been around for a long time. But, because the way our food system is now that many people can get sick from huge processors, it's just more widespread.
And it's not going to get any better either.
at 13:10 on February 25th, 2009
Aflatoxins ... Aflatoxins... best way is pest control!