Civil Police of Minas Gerais in Brazil is investigating nine dog deaths linked to consumption of Bassar Pet Food brand snacks. Brazilian authorities suspect these may contain toxic ethylene glycol contamination; according to company claims this may have come from ingredient supplier Tecno Clean; Bassar’s factory can be found in Guarulhos.
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“Propylene glycol is an approved food additive for both animal and human consumption,” representatives from Brazil’s Ministerio da Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) (MAPA) wrote in a press release. In this instance, there appears to be contamination of propylene glycol by monoethylene glycol; further investigation of this matter is currently taking place… Manufacturers registered on MAPA must identify products using raw material produced using these raw materials from wholesale and retail trade channels should collect them if discovered.”
Dog deaths in Brazil due to pet product consumption
Six dogs died after eating Bassar Pet Food products; one died in Piumhi and two in Sao Paulo. On September 2, the Brazilian Ministry of Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento (MAPA), or Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) shut down production at Bassar Industria e Comercio Ltda’s pet food factory and issued an immediate national recall order of all batches produced since July 2. MAPA identified Every Day liver flavor (lot 3554), Dental Care (lot 3467), sending samples off for analysis from MAPA samples sent off to Federal Agricultural Defense Laboratories within MAPA itself for examination by FADL of this Ministry for analysis by experts in October 2016.
Propylene Glycol Use contul In his Petfood Industry Ingredient Issues column, Greg Aldrich, PhD, professor and pet food program coordinator from Kansas State University wrote about its proper application:
Propylene glycol (or polyalcohol) is a polyol (i.e., polyalcohol) commonly referred to by some references as 1,2-propanediol IUPAC). This viscous liquid is clear in color with near odorless viscosity that has a sweet-tasting flavor; soluble in water, acetone and chloroform and most importantly hygroscopic, meaning it draws water out of the atmosphere into itself. First produced in 1859 by Wurtz it was commercialized commercialized 1931 by DuPont’s hydrogenation of coconut oil where propylene glycol was first introduced as an ingredient glycerol replacement in pharmaceutical applications.
Today PG serves many uses both industrial and consumable, from solvent to stabilizer to preservative to energy source to wetting agent to freeze point modifier and even cosmetic products like shaving cream and shampoos containing various flavors that PG helps carry. Furthermore, pharmaceutical products use it widely.
Though PG has natural origins, modern production begins with propylene oxide – a petroleum derivative. After non-catalytically oxidizing and then distillation refinement into a virtually pure (99%) product, this ingredient can then be sold either as “technical grade” or as USP grade for petfood production. Propylene glycol (C3H8O2) is an extremely flexible molecule thanks to the position of its two hydroxyl groups on its three carbon backbone; one primary and another secondary.
Propylene glycol differs from ethylene glycol by virtue of containing two primary hydroxyl groups, but its secondary hydroxyl group often leads to consumer confusion; consumers frequently mistake the antifreeze in their car (ethylene glycol) with propylene glycol despite having some similarities; the placement of one hydroxyl group makes all the difference between them.
Propylene glycol (PG) can be used as an antifreeze and coolant in airplanes as well as deicers; it has also been found effective against deicers used on planes. But propylene glycol is considered safe for human and animal consumption at levels well exceeding what would ever be necessary in products.
Humectants are essential ingredients in many food products, helping control water activity (target of less than 0.65) and thus spoilage in intermediate moisture or semi-moist foods. These compounds typically comprise 10%-18% of semi-moist pet foods (Rokey 2003) where they may also be added with water and flour for preconditioning to ensure uniform distribution and an excellent mix.