The country is still in shock after the panic over the health of our pets (more than 400 deaths have been reported unofficially in the press) generated by the Purina Venezuela aflatoxicosis outbreak. However, Venezuelans, not even the scientific community, have official information on the causal agent other than the one presented in Purina's initial public statement of past February: "analysis revealed the presence of mold-produced toxins in a limited number of affected lots, which despite being limited and identified, drove Purina to recall all of its products. These toxins may cause severe or chronic liver damage and, depending on the conditions, death. Reactions indicating symptoms may include: yellowish eye discoloration, gums and skin, decay and decrease in pet activities, and vomits".

A brief statement of the Division of Animal Health of the Ministry of Health and Lands, indicated that problems in the quality control of some Purina products had been detected. There were indications of a highly lethal contamination for puppies, due to the presence of aflatoxin in the maize used, which had been stored under moisture and temperature abuse. Officials said all products were to be incinerated under their supervision but they did not emit public word on the origin of the maize (domestic or imported), nor did Purina.

This July, five months having passed since Purina Venezuela faced the worst crisis of its 75 year history, Purina's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Germán García publicly announced the re-opening of its pet-food facility in La Encrucijada, Edo. Aragua. In his statement, he reviewed some of the actions taken by the company in order to compensate all the pet owners affected by the crisis that made Purina voluntarily recall more than 8.700 tons of pet food from the Venezuelan market and homes. In February 2005 Purina® Division publicly announced problems with its products DOG CHOW® and CAT CHOW® elaborated in that plant and in consequence recalled all products manufactured in it: Dog Chow®, Cat Chow®, Fiel®, Friskies®, Perrarina®, Puppy Chow®, K-Nina®, Nutriperro®, Aro®, Gatsy® and Pajarina®. Purina Pro Plan® and Purina One® were not included because they are imported into the country. From the moment the problem became public, Purina exhorted pet owners to consult their veterinarians immediately. Purina® Division implemented an efficiently divulgated national plan to cover all vet expenses, with a veterinarian advisory board appointed to that effect, as well as mechanisms for devolution and reimbursement of the implicated products.

CEO García has also recently announced that all new permissions have been granted by official national authorities, as well as endorsed by professional associations, and the facility has initiated operations for production and commercialization of its brands. Products are now properly identified bearing a label stating "new production". In a recent public statement Purina also reiterated its commitment to consumers, pet owners, clients, distributors, veterinarian community, and media, indicating that the company will work very hard until 100% of their confidence is recovered. I wish them luck in this crusade.

However, we still do not have our questions answered or even an official total on the number of pet deaths. Even if the proper corrective actions were seen to be taken by Venezuelan officials, apart from statements indicating in ambiguous way the cause of the outbreak, neither the general public nor the academic sector have been officially informed of the toxin type, the cause of the contamination and the chain of events that led to this unfortunate episode.

Learning the values detected would have allowed the correlation of values with what looked like an acute intoxication. Losses have been estimated around 8.5 million US dollars. Purina had samples sent to laboratories abroad for the investigation of other possible toxins present and results were not revealed to the public, not even regarding any possible pesticide contamination. What we do know for sure is that samples of all maize-based products for human consumption were analyzed for aflatoxins in official national laboratories, rendering negative results. As scientists we would have expected information that could be registered as usually done when single cases of any feed or foodborne intoxication occurs, and that was the least to be expected to happen in the light of an outbreak of this magnitude. Let us hope this event could still be scientifically documented.

Food Regulations

As for food science regulations, no new standards, since 2002's Norma Venezolana Covenin 3802:2002 'General guidelines for the application of the HACCP system in the food sector', have been approved. This standard was partially based on the document elaborated in 1994 by the Department of Food Hygiene of the Ministery of Health and Social Assistance (MHSA) of the time, and the Venezuelan Chamber of the Food Industry. Currently, the Draft of the Technical Regulation 'Good Manufacturing Practices in the preparation, service and/or sale of ready-to-eat foods', has already been through the discussion period, has received the green light of the Legal Department of the Ministery of Healh and Social Development (created in 1999 after the fusion of the MHSA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry), and is yet to be published in the Gaceta Oficial (equivalent to the Federal Register).

However, there is a big rush right now. A huge event sponsored by the Venezuelan Government - The World Congress of Youth - at which nearly 20 thousand attendees are expected. The Government has granted the food service areas and menus preparation to 44 newly created national cooperatives, which have no experience whatsoever for such a large event. This has put the pressure on for the implementation of the principles of the regulation by the again re-formulated Ministry of Health-Social Development. It was decided, because the Ministry has just moved offices in addition to its re-organisation, that a checklist for the evaluation of the food hygiene conditions and practices to be completed by health officials will be the substitute for the Technical Regulations for the moment.