Testing for Adulteration

In early 2007, many dogs and cats in the United States were harmed or killed by ingestion of pet food adulterated with melamine and related compounds not authorized for use in pet food, animal feed, or human food. This resulted in recalls of more than 150 brands of pet foods and ultimately increased emphasis on the safety of imported foods.

The most prevalent reason for adulteration of food and beverages is economic gain—substituting less-expensive ingredients for the primary ingredients. However…