Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 12/26/17



A U.S. animal feed and pathogen control maker plans to sue the European Commission following the body’s ban of the use of formaldehyde as a way to control salmonella contamination in chicken feed, according to a report by Politico.

Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Anitox Corp. is among a chorus of opponents to the EU’s ban, saying that the effectiveness of formaldehyde in controlling salmonella outweighs the risks to worker safety and human health that formed the EU’s basis for its decision. 

In a news release following Wednesday’s decision, Anitox called it bad timing that the ban comes only a week after the EU reported an end to its decade-long decline of salmonella in Europe, with cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in humans increasing 3 percent since 2014. Prevalence increased in laying hens to 1.21 percent, from 0.7 percent, in that same period. Of the 95,000 cases of human salmonellosis reported in the EU in 2016, almost two-thirds were associated with S. Enteritidis, the most widespread type and most associated with eggs and poultry meat, the company noted.

Anitox says formaldehyde is safe if applied correctly, and more effective than organic acids.
The company also called into question how the EU voted less than 24 hours after a public comment period ended.

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