Second Toxin Found in Lethal Pet Food

Cyanuric acid plus melamine could be fatal combination
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted May 9, 2007 7:19 AM CDT
Second Toxin Found in Lethal Pet Food
A woman looks at pet food in a store in Beijing Friday April 6, 2007. China has denied responsibility for a slew of pet deaths in the United States that U.S. authorities blame on a batch of chemically contaminated wheat gluten from China, state media reported. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)   (Associated Press)

Add cyanuric acid to the list of industrial chemicals found in the contaminated pet food that killed thousands of dogs and cats. Like melamine, it was used by Chinese animal feed producers  to fake higher protein content in their wheat and rice products, the New York Times reports.

In the States, cyanuric acid is used as a stabilizer in swimming pools. Neither of the two substances alone would have proved fatal, researchers say, but together they may form toxic crystals which led to kidney failure in the pets. China announced yesterday that two companies have been found guilty of exporting pet food ingredients contaminated with melamine. (More pet food recall stories.)

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