57 Canadian fish hatcheries, fish farms got tainted feed

Feed contaminated with an industrial chemical was distributed to 57 fish hatcheries and fish farms in Canada, according to the federal food watchdog.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed Friday that Vancouver-based Skretting Canada supplied the fish feed, tainted with the same contaminated Chinese wheat flour linked to the recent poisonings of cats and dogs in Canada and the United States.

CFIA officials saidit's unlikely the contamination would spread to the human food supply since the feed was given to young fish.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Skretting distributes its fish feed to 198 U.S. companies — 60 of which are estimated to have received the tainted product. FDA officials noted two of the American customers produce fish for human consumption.

CFIA is holding at the border and testing all shipments from China of wheat, rice, soy and corn gluten and protein concentrates.

Earlier this week, FDA officials assured consumers that pork, chicken and egg products from animals that were given feed tainted with melamine were safe to eat. The U.S. agency said tests on the feed showed low levels of the industrial chemical, whichfalsely boosts nutrient content.

Food safety concerns grew after U.S. officials found some small manufacturing plants had been incorporating pet food into their animal feed before tests showed the pet food was contaminated.

Melamine was found in more than 100 brands of contaminated pet food that were recalled from the marketplace in Canada and the U.S. in mid-March. The FDA has fielded about 17,000 consumer calls about related pet illnesses.