Big Heart Pet Brands investigated over alleged slave labor

Plaintiffs law firm Hagens Berman is investigating Big Heart Pet Brands for allegedly importing fish-based pet food from suppliers who use slave labor.
Hagens Berman alleges that Big Heart Pet Brands imports pet food from Thai Union Frozen Products. According to U.S. customs documents, Thai Union has shipped more than 28 million pounds of seafood-based pet food for some of the top brands sold in the United States.
“Based on our investigation and media reports, Hagens Berman attorneys believe that Thai Union relies on forced or slave labor to catch the fish used in fish-based Meow Mix-brand wet cat foods. These men and boys are victims of many human rights violations: they are trafficked from countries neighboring Thailand, sold to fishing boats by brokers and smugglers, and forced to work under physical violence, emotional abuse, and verbal threats. Reports by the New York Times and The Guardian have recently shed light on these inhumane working conditions,” the law firm said in a press release.
Hagens Berman says that, in violation of California law, Big Heart Pet Brands does not disclose that its supplier, Thai Union, employs these forced labor practices and instead continues to profit from the slave labor that supplies the fish.
Nestle and Mars previously have been sued by consumers accusing the companies of failing to disclose the use of forced labor on boats that supply the fish they use in pet food.
And now several lawmakers are looking to address the problem. In August, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., proposed legislation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in corporate supply chains. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., has sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to put more focus on illegal fishing and on preventing “trafficking and slavery in the fishing industry.”
More than 2,000 enslaved fishermen have been rescued in 2015 as a result of an Associated Press investigation into forced labor on fishing boats in Asia. A multimillion-dollar Thai-Indonesian fishing business has been shut down, at least nine people have been arrested, and two fishing boats have been seized.
 The men saved from the forced labor came from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos and have been identified or repatriated. Hundreds more have been quietly returned home, so the companies running the fishing businesses can avoid human trafficking allegations.

Pet food ingredient market to reach US$37 billion by 2020

A new report from Research and Markets examines the pet food ingredients market trends and forecasts to 2020.
The report, “Pet Food Ingredients Market by Source (Animal Derivatives, Plant Derivatives & Additives), Form (Wet & Dry), Animal (Dog, Cat, Bird, Fish & Others), & by Region - Global Trends and Forecasts to 2020,” says the market for pet ingredients is projected to reach US$37.3 billion by 2020. The report projects an increase in the use of pet food ingredients in manufacturing pet food and rising opportunities in emerging markets such as Japan, India, China, and Brazil. In 2014, the North American region was the largest market for pet food ingredients. The market in the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2015 to 2020.
Read more about ingredients in pet food from PetfoodIndustry.com:
Buckwheat: a viable grain-free pet food ingredient?: Buckwheat has been around for centuries, but seldom used in pet foods. Today there are just a few specialty foods and treats in the market that contain this seed in their blend of carbohydrates.
Casein: Does it have a use in pet food?: Modern pet food manufacturers are on constant look-out for new and novel proteins and seeking ingredients with high functionality from a physiological perspective. Casein is a protein that seems to fit the bill.
Citrus pulp: An alternative pet food fiber source? An alternative fiber source that has a great deal of research support and could be a good candidate is citrus pulp, but for some reason it seems to be virtually absent from pet food. While this situation may have nothing to do with nutrition, an understanding of what is at the root of the issue and whether there are some unrealized benefits that pet owners could reap from its inclusion is merited.
Nano ingredients: In considering the potential exposure of animals to nanotechnology, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has released draft guidance concerning the use of nanomaterials or the application of nanotechnology in food for animals, which includes pets.

Slave labor used to catch some fish used in pet food

A recent article in the New York Times chronicled the lives of several men forced into labor on fishing boats in the South China Sea, off the coast of Thailand. These boats catch fish that are later shipped to the US and other places to be used in pet food and livestock feed.
Some of the fish caught on these boats is sent to a cannery called the Songkla Canning Public Company, which is a subsidiary of Thai Union Frozen Products, Thailand’s largest seafood company. According to US customs documents, more than 28 million pounds of seafood-based cat and dog food in the past year for brands sold in the US, including Iams, Meow Mix and Fancy Feast.
Thai Union Frozen Products says it “will not tolerate any human trafficking or any human rights violation of any kind,” and that it regularly audits its canneries and boats in port to ensure against forced and child labor.
Nestle, which makes Fancy Feast, says it is working hard to ensure that forced labor is not used to produce its pet food.
“This is neither an easy nor a quick endeavor,” a spokeswoman said, because the fish it purchases comes from multiple ports and fishing vessels operating in international waters.
CLICK TO TWEET THIS: .@Nestle says it's working hard to ensure #forcedlabor isn't used to produce its #petfood.
Mars Inc. has replaced fishmeal in some of its pet food in an effort to use less fish. By 2020, the company plans to use only non-threatened fish caught legally or raised on farms and certified by third-party auditors as not being linked to forced labor. However, the company says the fishing industry has “real traceability issues” and that it struggles to ensure proper working conditions.
According to customs documents, in the past year, Mars received more than 90,000 cartons of dog and cat food from a cannery supplied by one of the boats mentioned in the NYT article.
The Thai government says it has increased its number of investigations and prosecutions and plans to continue doing so.

5 tips to keep your pets safe amid petfood recalls

Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corp. has tips for pet owners to keep their pets safe and healthy amid petfood recalls.

“Most people are caring pet owners, and they want to what helps protect their pet,” said Will Post, founder and CEO, Hound & Gatos. “Yet the problem is that most are not sure what that means and how to go about it. The more they learn about petfood, the better able they will be able to make an informed decision that will keep their pet healthier and safer.”
Petfood recalls have become commonplace, with foods being recalled for Salmonella or Listeria contamination, presence of foreign materials, or other issues. Here are several tips that consumers may want to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a petfood that will help reduce the risks:

• Get to know the company. Most people may know a company name simply because they spend millions on advertising. But that doesn’t mean they know much about the company or their ethics. Research companies to find one that offers high standards, quality products, and great customer service. Then stick with that company for the long haul.
• Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to contact a petfood company and ask them where something was made, where ingredients came from, or any other questions. They should have no problem answering questions about their products, or with being able to provide proof of their quality standards.
• Read reviews. Do some searches to read some reviews about various brands of petfood. Keep in mind that some reviews can be biased and even planted by the company itself, so look for impartial third-party sources giving the review. Also, ask around to see what friends and family feed their pets.
• Investigate ingredients. The source of ingredients is of major concern when it comes to reducing the risks of petfood recalls and with keeping pets healthy. Many of the petfoods recalled contain ingredients that came from Asia, rather than all being 100 percent originating in the USA. Read the labels and ask questions to determine where the ingredients are coming from, and then opt for only products that are completely originating from the USA. For example, the FDA just approved chicken from China. Only three percent of petfoods get inspected, leaving a big window for risks.
• Understand petfoods. Cat and dog food should contain 100 percent protein, which will supply pets with the nutrients their bodies require. The problem with many commercial petfoods is that it is comprised of numerous fillers, such as generic liver, cheap fillers and grains.
“In order to keep pets safer and healthier, you can’t just pull any food off the shelf at the store,” Post said. “Many have generic ingredients and fillers that cats and dogs should not be eating. Get to know petfoods and the companies that manufacture it, and then stick with one that has a high level of standards and is ethical.”

Naturally Splendid moves forward with HempOmega petfood development

Naturally Splendid Enterprises has signed a research and product development service agreement with the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development's Food Science and Technology Centre in Brooks, Alberta, Canada. The research will focus on using the company's HempOmega plant-based supplement to fortify commercial petfood.
The center will develop optimized petfood formulations and processing capabilities followed up with nutritional and performance testing at an approved lab. "Moving forward with this important investigation of the processing capabilities of HempOmega is a critical step in our product development phase," said Bryan Carson, vice president of operations for Naturally Splendid. "The Food Science and Technology Center is the ideal facility to help us develop this new product line, as they have scientists who specialize in the formulation and production of both dog and cat foods. We are very excited to have access to this experienced team of experts."
Funding for this project will come in part from the National Research Council of Canada.

AAFCO announces minerals proficiency-testing program

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has announced its fourth proficiency-testing program: the AAFCO Minerals Program.

The quarterly offering focuses on minerals of health and toxicological importance in the food chain at concentrations of health or toxicological significance. Minerals will be spiked into the feed materials to achieve desired concentrations that are not available in the AAFCO monthly Check Sample Program. The primary interest is feed materials, but whenever possible materials of interest in both the food and feed sectors will be incorporated. Planned materials for 2015 are poultry layer feed, rice, dairy or swine feed and dog food to encompass materials of interest to both feed and food laboratories.
The cost for the Mineral Program for 2015 is US$300/year including shipping to the US or Canada. As with all AAFCO programs, materials will be shipped on a regular basis for tests and will be pre-ground. Reports will be generated with AAFCO-specific codes and units to allow for analysis of the performance of individual methods or method types. Reported results will be analyzed statistically and participants will be provided with performance scores for each analyte and method reported. Report cards and consensus reports will be available for download from AAFCO's Data Reporting website.
The Minerals Program is the newest of AAFCO's four proficiency testing programs. Other tests include the monthly AAFCO Check sample program, the Pet Food program and the Mycotoxin Contaminants program. The Check Sample program begins in January 2015 and provides monthly shipments of a variety of feeds and supplements with nutrients, drugs, antibiotics, minerals and vitamins at levels typically encountered in commercial products. The quarterly Pet Food Program, introduced in 2013, starts in February 2015 and provides shipments of petfood ingredients derived from animal or plant sources. The quarterly Mycotoxin Contaminants Program debuted in 2014 and provides shipments of animal feed or petfood contaminated with naturally incurred afflatoxins, fumonisins, deoxynivlaenol, zeraralenone, ochratoxin A and T-2 toxin.
The Minerals Program is available worldwide. For North American customers, shipping via the US Postal Service is included in the price. For international customers, shipping options include express mail from the US Postal Service, which includes tracking, for an additional US$200/year or a courier service using the receiver's account. International options vary for other AAFCO programs. 

IFFO launches video on omega-3s in salmon feed

As farmed salmon becomes a regular feature in diets, it is important to understand its nutritional benefits. Salmon is still an excellent source of omega-3s, containing more than most other fish, but do consumers understand enough about the amounts of EPA and DHA found in salmon and the recommended levels in our diets? IFFO’s latest video helps answer this, focusing on the crucial role of omega-3s in salmon feed, especially EPA and DHA, and the changes in levels used.
Salmon have a very limited ability to make EPA and DHA. The concentration of EPA and DHA in their flesh is directly linked to their diet, which in the wild is rich in fish oil. Farmed salmon feed used to contain 100% fish oil, rich in EPA and DHA, but supplies of sustainable fish oil are limited. As salmon farming grows, more and more feed is required but the levels of available fish oil remain unchanged, says the IFFO. The amount of fish oil used in feed is therefore decreasing and is now supplemented with an increasing percentage of vegetable oil, resulting in lower levels of EPA and DHA in salmon. Farmed salmon still contains more EPA and DHA than most other fish but consumers need to be aware of the varying levels of EPA and DHA in salmon and ensure that they continue to eat enough to reach the recommended intake levels of 250 mg per day, as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Lincoln Bark wins Abe's Golden Bear Award

Lincoln Bark has been honored with the “Abe’s Golden Bear Award” for excellence in pet products for 2014. Each year, Abe’s Market, an online marketplace for natural products, selects 13 companies in different product categories for their excellence in natural qualities and eco-friendliness.

test
Lincoln Bark's treats highlight their signature ingredient, the super-food Chia seed. The seeds promote cardiovascular health, joint mobility, improved digestion and healthy skin and coat for dogs, according to Lincoln Bark. The company manufactures palatable and nutritious snacks containing no wheat, corn, soy, artificial preservatives, gluten or added hormones. Made and sourced in the USA, all of Lincoln Bark’s treats are made from high-quality, human-grade ingredients.
“It is an exciting honor to receive this award,” said Lincoln Bark President Bobbye Cochran. “Abe’s offers an extremely trusted marketplace for natural products from passionate companies, and we are elated to be recognized among the best.”

The Honest Kitchen releases short film about petfood brand

The Honest Kitchen, a producer of human-grade petfood products, released a short brand film, in which employees' own pets deliver the company message by "talking" about ingredients, procurement, production and quality control.
The short film is shot inside The Honest Kitchen's company headquarters and on the streets of San Diego, California, USA, and was produced by Emota, a local digital story-telling agency. The film centers on the company's human-grade petfoods and also discusses health effects from other diets. 
"We really felt that allowing our office dogs to do the talking would be a unique and fun way to get our story across," commented company founder and CEO, Lucy Postins. "Our pets are the focus of everything we do at The Honest Kitchen. They're the reason we choose to invest in better quality human-grade ingredients, and why we produce our recipes in a human food facility. The choices we make around product integrity and quality are centered squarely, around what is right for the health and wellbeing of pets because we believe they deserve to eat proper food that's healthy, natural and honest. So it makes perfect sense that they should be the ones to convey our message."

TraceGains to host FSMA webinar on December 13

TraceGains will present a webinar on December 13 at 12 p.m. EDT, entitled, "Preparing for FSMA's Animal Food/Feed Rule."
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will make the industry subject to mandatory Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and a new preventive controls program under this new rule (section 103 of FSMA for animal food facilities that must register under section 415 of FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 350d, to establish and implement a food safety system that includes a hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls).
Under FSMA, the following would become requirements:
• A written food safety plan
• Hazard analysis
• Preventive controls for hazards that are reasonably likely to occur
• Monitoring
• Corrective actions
• Verification
• Associated records 
The webinar will feature Marc Sanchez, senior counsel and adjunct professor, who will address the new proposed rule for the petfood and animal feed industry and its most distinctive and impactful features. Register online to attend the webinar.

Merrick Pet Care contests asks pet owners to create new summer dog food recipe

Merrick Pet Care is challenging dog owners to create the recipe for its next summer seasonal dog food with the chance to win a year's supply of dog food with its "Name the 'CAN'-Test."
Facebook users can submit an idea for a summer seasonal recipe along with suggested petfood ingredients that will be used for a new Merrick flavor that will be released in summer 2014.
"Merrick has long been known in the natural pet food category for its high quality, innovative canned dog food recipes and their playful names - Merrick'an Pie, Ballpark Bonanza, Honolulu Luau and many more," said Mark Sapir, vice president of marketing for Merrick.
To enter, pet owners should visit Merrick on Facebook to submit a recipe name along with suggested recipe ingredients before October 21. Merrick will select four finalists based on the creativity and originality of their entries, and these will be put up for community vote on Facebook from October 28-November 8, and a grand-prize winner will be announced on or around November 15.
The grand-prize winner will receive a year's supply of dog food, and their winning recipe will launch in time for the 2014 summer season with cans to arrive in stores in May 2014. Three first-prize winners will each win a 25-lb. bag of Merrick Grain Free Real Texas Beef dry dog food. 

FDA guidance document on new regulations for color additives in petfood available

The US Food and Drug Administration made available a document to help small businesses comply with regulations on declaring color additives in food for animals.
The Guidance for Industry #223, Small Entity Compliance Guide - Declaring Color Additives in Animal Foods, provides background information plus answers to questions on the 2011 regulation, which requires all color additives subject to FDA's certification process be listed on product labels for petfood and animal feed. All manufacturers of petfood and animal feed must comply with the regulation by November 18.
FDA published a rule in the Federal Register (76 FR 29701) on November 17, 2011, which amended its regulations concerning the declaration of certified color additives on labels of petfoods and animal feed.

Joint petfood, feed meeting addresses upcoming FSMA preventive control rule

Petfood and feed industry experts speaking at the 2013 Feed and Pet Food Joint Conference September 24-26 discussed elements and challenges of the preventive control rule for feed soon to be released under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Participants in the conference, presented in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, by the Pet Food Institute and National Grain & Feed Association, also heard from a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the rule.
While the rule is one of seven dictated by FSMA, it is one of the last to be released by FDA. A recent court order has mandated that the agency release it for industry comment by November 30. Dan McChesney, PhD, director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance for FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said he expected the rule to be out before that deadline and that it will be similar to one already released for preventive controls in human food.
A panel of petfood and feed industry experts also addressed the upcoming rule and expressed concerns that it might be too prescriptive and restrictive, especially in its establishment of good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for feed and petfood. Human food has already been operating under GMPs for some time now, while that mandate will be entirely new for animal food products (except in the case of medicated feed).
McChesney said the feed preventive control GMPs will cover personnel, plants and grounds, sanitary operations, sanitary facilities and controls, processes and controls, equipment and utensils, warehousing and distribution. He also encouraged industry comment on the proposed GMPs once the rule is released. "We probably made them too stringent and need to back off some; we're looking for feedback from you for justification to back off,” he said during the conference, adding that FDA understands there is a wide spectrum of types of manufacturing facilities in the petfood and feed industries and, therefore, hazards and risks can vary greatly.
Industry professionals and organizations will have at least six months to comment on the proposed rule after its release date.

Petfoods with plant-derived proteins may contain more mycotoxins, researcher says

Petfoods with plant-derived proteins may also contain more harmful toxins than petfoods with traditional fish and meat proteins, according to new research from the University of Guelph.
"A shift in petfood ingredients is on," says animal and poultry science professor, Trevor Smith, who has spent 35 years researching mycotoxins at Guelph. "Instead of worrying about bacteria spoilage or disease contamination, like we have in the past, we now have to focus on removing mycotoxins."
Smith says pet owners can minimize the risk of mycotoxins by avoiding cheaper petfoods that are more likely to contain vegetable cereals and corn or wheat fillers, and specifically, those with large amounts of rice bran.
"That's the ingredient that's often contaminated," he says. "Although we have no exact numbers, we can estimate that when half of the food is of vegetable origin, there will almost always be some degree of contamination. If the food is mainly of animal origins, the chances of contamination are greatly reduced."
According to Smith, one common mycotoxin found in some grain-based dog and cat foods is deoxynivalenol, which sometimes changes structure when modified by plant enzymes.
He found that adding a specific type of acid to the original enzyme screening can allow manufacturers to detect hidden deoxynivalenol compounds and remove contamination. Smith also says adding yeast to petfood can also help detect mycotoxins because the yeast's fiber binds to the toxins, blocking deoxynivalenol from the pet's blood stream to prevent negative symptoms.
Smith's research is being funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Alltech Canada Inc. of Guelph.

Victam, FIAAP 2014 tradeshows focus on animal feed, petfood ingredients

Victam International general manager and former feed mill owner, Henk van de Bunt, said that sales for the FIAAP, Victam and Grapas Asia 2014 trade shows continue to increase thanks to the shows' focus on ingredients used in animal feed and petfood. The shows will be held April 8-10, 2014, in Bangkok, Thailand. 
According to van de Bunt: "A successful animal feed production plant, petfood plant or aquafeed feed plant require(s) different components. These include qualified and reliable staff, investment, professional management, etc. But you also need additional important ingredients, these are a safe and healthy working environment, well-constructed premises, good processing equipment, reliable and up-to-date ancillary equipment, a range of feed formulation programs, and of course, the right and most cost efficient ingredients and additives. In this way you should be able to produce the best possible product for your clients."
The show manager says the shows have seen a significant rise in the number of international companies looking to exhibit, as well as attend the range of technical conferences being offered. 
Co-located with the FIAAP, Victam and Grapas Asia tradeshows will be Petfood Forum Asia. This conference for petfood industry professionals around the world will take place April 9, 2014, in Bangkok.

FDA, Center for Food Safety fail to submit FSMA regulation schedule

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Food Safety were unable to reached an agreement on a proposed schedule for Food Safety Modernization Act deadlines in compliance with a court's order to do so by May 20. FDA was ordered to set the schedule after being sued by the Center for Food Safety for missing several statutory deadlines in implementing FSMA.
FDA and the Center for Food Safety were given a 20-day extension by a US District Court to reach an agreement by June 10. However, the groups did not submit a joint proposal as required, instead submitting separate timelines for implementing the remaining regulations. 
FDA's timeline for parts of FSMA is reportedly longer than the Center for Food Safety and lacks some specific dates. For example, FDA set deadlines for a proposed foreign supplier verification program rule and timeline for issuing a proposal for accrediting third-party auditors by summer and set a deadline for the final rule for summer 2015. The center set deadlines of August 31 and a final deadline of December 31 for these parts of FSMA. 

Premier Pet Nutrition launches three new petfood calibrations for NIR machines

Premier Pet Nutrition has launched three petfood calibrations to enable petfood manufacturers to maximize their NIR machine's capabilities and enhance petfood palatability, shelf life and quality.
The three new calibrations can be uploaded to an existing NIR machine: 

• The Cook Value calibration measures how well a dry petfood has been cooked, stating the level of starch gelatinisation (percent). It also provides instant feedback to the extruder operator if they are putting too much or too little energy into the petfood.
• Peroxide Value (PV) is a measure of the level of oxidation in fats in a petfood. By measuring the PV using NIR, it is possible to assess how oxidized the fats are and if the palatability or shelf-life are going to become issues for that batch of petfood.
• Water activity (aw) is one of the most critical factors determining the quality and safety of a dry petfood. If it is too high, the dry petfood will mold and spoil due to microbial growth. The new aw calibration gives instant feedback on how likely a petfood is to spoil once packed. 

Icelandic whales exported to Japan for use in petfood

Meat from North Atlantic fin whales is being sold by Iceland to Japan to be used in petfood, according to a report. 
Iceland plans to resume commercial whaling in June, which is expected to result in catching of more than 180 whales over the next few months. 
However, the Environmental Investigation Agency is accusing the country's government of breaching a global moratorium on whale hunting, calling the inclusion of the whale species in specialty dog foods in Japan "grotesque." According to the agency's senior campaigner, Clare Perry, "almost 100 percent" of whale meat is being exported to Japan from Iceland.  
Fin whales are at a very high risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but Iceland says the fin whale population has increased enough that it can withstand sustainable hunting.

US Senate rejects bioengineered food labeling amendment

On May 23, the US Senate rejected an amendment proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that would have allowed states to require labels on food or beverages made with bioengineered ingredients. 
The amendment, which was rejected during a debate on the farm bill, would have made clear that states have the authority to require the labeling of foods produced through bioengineering. It would also have required the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture to report to Congress within two years on the percentage of food and beverages in the US that contain bioengineered ingredients. 
“An overwhelming majority of Americans favor GMO labeling but virtually all of the major biotech and food corporations in the country oppose it,” Sanders said. “Today’s vote is a step forward on an important issue that we are going to continue to work on. The people of Vermont and the people of America have a right to know what’s in the food that they eat.”

Aflatoxin a concern for petfood industry in summer, experts say

Grain experts say a toxic mold residue that attacked the 2012 US corn crop may become even more problematic this summer and fall as farmers blend off tainted corn supplies from storage. This is a concern in the petfood industry as manufacturers work to avoid contamination in their final products and minimize petfood recalls due to aflatoxin. 
"As we get into summer, you are going to see the worst of it," said Doug Bartlett, co-owner of advisory company Midwest Farm Services. "We have tight corn supplies and when we get down to the nitty gritty, there is going to be a lot of the aflatoxin left over, and it will have to be blended off into the new crop." 
According to Charles Hurburgh, agricultural engineering professor at Iowa State University who specializes in grain quality, aflatoxin is currently a significant concern in the US from eastern Kansas across northern Missouri, up to central and southern Illinois. As temperatures rise in the spring, the mold responsible for causing aflatoxin can be spread inside grain storage bins, which could create a second round of problems after the initial outbreak when crops are harvested. 
"We've already seen some flourishing of the molds that can produce aflatoxin," said Max Hawkins, a nutritionist with Alltech. "Because corn is in short supply, everybody wants to get every kernel, everything they can out of the bin. As the bin is emptied, those damaged kernels tend to concentrate in the bottom area....There is ample aflatoxin present in many, many storage facilities."