Aflatoxins may bear some looking into, though I sincerely doubt they are
the culprit of too dramatic an increase.  The fact is, they have been
present in grain crops since grain crops were first cultivated.  The FDA
has only gotten more strict in their "harmful levels" guidelines, so
therefore there is most likely less of this substance than there ever
was before.
 
For clarification to Mary, Aflatoxins are NOT additives, they are an
organism which naturally exists on or in grain crops under certain
conditions.
 
I live in Nebraska, one of America's largest corn producing states, if
not THE largest.  After the original article, I looked up some things.
Aflatoxins can pass through dairy products but not through the meat of an
animal.  "Safe" levels of aflatoxins for dairy cows are the same as those
for humans.  "Safe" levels for livestock intended for slaughter (both for
humans AND the pet food industry) are slightly higher, because their meat
cannot be contaminated by these aflatoxins.  Corn in Nebraska which does
not meet at least that level is buried.  It is not sold at all, let alone
to the pet food industry.  It is simply given back to the earth from
whence it came.
 
I don't know off hand where most pet food companies get their
ingredients, as far as on a state by state basis, but I do know that
there are at least several major pet food companies operating production
plants in Nebraska, and using nebraska grown meat and corn.
 
I think the likelyhood of aflatoxins being a major player in increased
cancer rates is unlikely at best, but that would depend entirely on the
regulations in the states which supply the companies whos food most of
our ferrets eat...
 
Melissa Rotert (formerly Kuzara)
Mira, Robin, Samurai, O'Dell and Nietzsche
Missing Cael, Booboo and Tasha always
[Posted in FML issue 3965]