The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) published an alert that reinforces the need to collect intoxicated batches of Tecno Clean Industrial dog snacks, which contain the ingredient propylene glycol and also batches of this substance. \The measure is preventive in nature, to prevent contaminated lots of propylene glycol from being used in the manufacture of food for human consumption.
the alert reinforces the resolution which determined the collection and prohibited the commercialization, distribution, handling and use of batches AD5035C22 and AD4055C21 of the ingredient, preliminarily analyzed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa).
In them, the contamination of dog treats by ethylene glycol was detected, “an extremely toxic substance, if ingested”, as informed by Anvisa.
“When identifying, during the investigation of the facts, the possibility of distributing the contaminated ingredient to food factories for human use, Mapa shared the information so that Anvisa could adopt actions related to products subject to sanitary surveillance”, he stated, in a note. , the agency.
The ministry later reported that the preliminary results of the analyzes “detected monoethylene glycol as a contaminant of propylene glycol in other batches of animal feed products”.
21 food categories
According to Anvisa, propylene glycol is a food additive authorized for use in 21 categories of food for human consumption, with four functions: humectant, whitening agent, stabilizer and glazing agent. “For three of these categories, there is a restriction on the use of the propylene glycol food additive. For all food categories there is a limit on the use of propylene glycol, according to specific legislation”, he detailed.
A highly toxic organic solvent, ethylene glycol causes kidney and liver failure, “and can even lead to death when ingested”, informs the agency when referring to the substance that in another report, from 2020, had already contaminated beers.
Devolution
Anvisa warns companies that have purchased Tecno Clean’s propylene glycol batches (batches AD5035C22 and AD4055C21) “must not use them, under any circumstances, nor sell them, and must contact Tecno Clean itself, for the return of the products”.
“Additionally, if they identify that the use of contaminated batches has taken place, these companies must immediately adopt measures, including the immediate investigation of potential contamination and all other actions necessary to avoid consumption of the product”, he added.
