At issue is Tyson's use of an animal medication called ionophores, commonly added to poultry feed to help prevent an intestinal parasite that can lead to lower body weight or death in poultry, causing economic loss to producers. ❋ Unknown (2008)
At the heart of the USDA's decision lies a type of animal medication called ionophores, which are commonly added to poultry feed to help prevent an intestinal colonization by coccidia, a single-celled organism that can lead to lower body weight or death in poultry, causing economic loss to producers. ❋ Unknown (2007)
Pelleted or supplemental feeds can contain contaminants such as ionophores (such as momensin) or antibiotics due to mixing errors or contamination from transport vehicles. ❋ Unknown (2008)
In September, Tyson was notified by the agency that it had made a mistake in awarding the label because Tyson was using ionophores, an antibiotic widely used in the industry but considered less harmful by some because, generally, it is administered to animals and not humans. ❋ Unknown (2008)
Then in an about-face in September, the USDA said it had made a mistake in approving the label after realizing that Tyson was using ionophores, a type of antibiotic widely used in the industry but considered less harmful because it is generally used on animals, not humans. ❋ Unknown (2008)
In the last year Tyson was also fined $339,500 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety and health violations at its Noel, MO plant, charged by shareholders and Amalgamated Bank with spring-loading $4.5 million in options and forbidden by the Department of Agriculture from terming its ionophores-grown chickens "raised without antibiotics." ❋ Unknown (2008)
But the Department of Agriculture ruled the ionophores Tyson uses in chicken production are antibiotics over Tyson protests that ionophores don't cause human antibiotic resistance and the venture went nowhere. ❋ Unknown (2008)
Tyson also said the USDA approved the label earlier in May with full knowledge the company was using ionophores in its poultry feed. ❋ Unknown (2007)
Also, she said ionophores don't target bacteria like antibiotics do. ❋ Unknown (2007)
In the USDA's letter, however, the agency said "it is longstanding FSIS policy that ionophores are antibiotics." ❋ Unknown (2007)
Margaret Mellon, director of the food and environment program for the Union of Concerned Scientists, a health and environmental organization in Washington, said she is "mystified" and "troubled" by the USDA's decision to rescind Tyson's label and to classify ionophores as an antibiotic. ❋ Unknown (2007)
The company has 45 days to remove the labels from its products or stop using ionophores. ❋ Unknown (2007)
However, the USDA said it was "recently drawn to the attention of senior officials at the Food Safety Inspection Service" that Tyson's poultry-feed formulations contained ionophores. ❋ Unknown (2007)
Ms. Mellon, who works with a group called Keep Antibiotics Working, a coalition of consumer health groups, is opposed to the agency's classification because ionophores aren't used in human medicine. ❋ Unknown (2007)
Tyson said that because ionophores are metabolized by the bird before the meat reaches the dinner table, consumers don't need to worry about consuming meat raised on ionophores that could lead to human antibiotic resistance. ❋ Unknown (2007)
The agency also gave the company the option of petitioning the USDA to initiate a public-comment period on whether ionophores could be used in meat and poultry products labeled as "raised without antibiotics." ❋ Unknown (2007)
Well-known examples are substrates bound to enzymes, signal substances bound to receptors, antibodies bound to antigens and metal ions bound to ionophores. ❋ Unknown (1987)
Prior to GSK, Karen held positions at Pfizer where she was involved in research on semi-synthetic ionophores, carbohydrates, peptides and heterocyclic chemistry, and the ❋ Unknown (2010)
