Re: [RML] Re: ethoxyquin

Gary Lange (gwlange at stlnet.com)
Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:21:14 -0500

I was wondering if Hugo had any positive proof that product with Ethoxyquin
causes tumors and deformaties. Let's quote a scientific paper here and not
some Drudge report though. There was some "hysteria" on the web a few
years ago about this product but no one could really come up with the
research to actually show that this occurred, just some person taking shots
at the companies that used the product. This sort of thing has occured
quite often with "web lore" and I think it also happened with this product.
I think a recent example is that product that takes "doggy smells" out of
your
couch, Fabri. People started sending messages all over as chain letters,
telling them that it would kill their pets. Absolutely no truth in the
matter. Ethoxyquin and Monsanto, as far as I know though Monsanto was not
marketing it for a preservative in foods, just for rubber tires. I checked
informally a few years ago when the first hysteria went out.

And as far as "famous for" genetically modified organisms - It's difficult
to sit down and type out a quick email to talk about all of the experiments
and safeguards that are in place regarding these products. There is
probably more work done to prove safety than the actual experiment to
introduce the improvement into the organism. Many of these improvements
will mean that tons and tons of insecticides will no longer be used on many
crops, much of which gets into our water supply. Those products cause much
more harm in the long run to the consumer and the environment. I think that
if you sit down and do some serious reading on the matter you will find the
benefits to society far outweigh any perceived risks.

Gary Lange

-----Original Message-----
From: BLang1234 at aol.com <BLang1234 at aol.com>
To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au <rainbowfish at pcug.org.au>
Date: Sunday, August 22, 1999 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: [RML] Re: ethoxyquin

>In a message dated 8/22/99 10:57:14 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
>hugo at pondlibrary.org writes:
>
><< It causes tumors and deformaties in fish, dogs,
> guinee pigs, rabbits, etc. Vitamin C is a natural and safe preservative,
but
> fish food companies like Ethoxyquin because it's cheaper. I wouldn't use
> any product that contains it! >>
>
>Hmmmm. ethoxyquin is in virtually every dog food available in the USA at
>least. As a veterinarian, I really can't say that the dogs here are all
dying
>of tumors.
>Brian Lang DVM
>