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News Release
2-15-10
‘DEER CORN,’ LIVESTOCK FEED POSES MINIMAL AFLATOXIN RISK,
SAY STATE AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS
People who feed bagged corn to deer or livestock should not be concerned about dangerous levels of aflatoxin, a harmful substance that can appear on moldy corn, according to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA).
“Protecting human and animal health is the primary mission of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. If there was any problem, we would be the first to sound the alarm,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
“Staff routinely pull samples of both whole corn and manufactured feed products and sample them for aflatoxin – along with a variety of other potential adulterants – and I am confident their results are reliable,” he said.
No samples have tested positive for aflatoxin over the previous two years that WVDA has been doing that type of testing. One sample out of 129 analyzed during that period was inconclusive.
An inaccurate media report indicated that purchasers should be leery of “deer corn,” because it contained dangerously high levels of aflatoxin. A later report erroneously stated that aflatoxin content was a labeling requirement for whole corn in West Virginia.
Chad Linton, Assistant Director of WVDA’s Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division, said that from a regulatory standpoint, there’s no such thing as “deer corn.”
“That is just a way that businesses market bagged whole corn. Our action level for aflatoxin is 20 parts per billion, regardless of what use is stated on the packaging, and we don’t have any labeling requirements for whole-seed items,” Linton said. “Any whole-corn or other whole-seed item we find with aflatoxin levels in excess of 20 ppb is immediately embargoed. The same thing goes for any ingredients used by West Virginia feed manufacturers.”
Linton noted a major distinction between whole-seed products and feed products, which can be whole-seed products that have been blended or processed in any way.
“It’s very easy to turn seed into a feed,” Linton said, adding that WVDA has a number of labeling requirements for feed products – but, again, no requirement for aflatoxin content.
Some products sold in West Virginia include aflatoxin content on labels. Linton said some manufacturers choose to have their products independently analyzed and are not prevented from including that information on their packaging.
Some feed items imported into West Virginia are labeled as having aflatoxin content in excess of 20 ppb. Because long-term exposure to high levels of aflatoxin can cause liver damage to animals, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines allow higher levels in finishing feed for animals that will soon go to slaughter. FDA recommends no more than 20 ppb for all immature animals and all dairy animals.
To prevent the formation of aflatoxin, Linton recommended that covered feeders be used rather than dumping piles on the ground, and that corn and feed be stored in a cool, dry place. He said those are common practices in the agricultural community. He noted that stressful conditions such as drought can also be a factor in the formation of aflatoxin.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
“The Basis of All Wealth is Agriculture.”
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