The French farm ministry said on Thursday (09/02) it had found abnormal levels of the highly toxic element cadmium in animal feed manufactured in June last year. It said the cadmium, which can cause serious liver and kidney damage, had been sourced to a 120-tonne batch of imports of the feed ingredient zinc sulphate from China. "Tests confirmed the presence of varying levels of cadmium in feed already manufactured," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the feed ingredient had been traced to 10 companies in France, and any supplies still on their premises had been confiscated and were undergoing further analysis. The ministry said it had traced feed deliveries from the companies to farms, and veterinary authorities were taking steps to ensure those animal parts susceptible of retaining cadmium - the liver and the kidneys - were removed from the food chain.

It said the suspected zinc sulphate had been imported by a Brittany-based company in September 2004 from a single supplier. Of the nearly 120 tonnes, 68 tonnes had then been sold for animal feed to the 10 companies in France until July 2005. Some 11 tonnes had been sold for non-feed use and a further 41 tonnes was unsold and had now been now impounded, the ministry added.
(Planet Ark, 10/02/06)