Does Anyone Know --Is Champion Testing Fish Sources?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I debated with myself before posting this discussion because the contamination of fish and plankton on the west coast and the upper Northwest by Fukushima is surrounded by such a storm of confusing controversy but I'm curious about the wild-caught Pacific fish in both Origen and Acana.  Since a lot of us use and love that food, I'm wondering if anyone has been in contact with Champion directly? I'd really like to be reassured that Champion is testing its fish food sources - ideally through a credible 3rd party.

Just to be clear, I'm not buying into the theories at either end of the spectrum: (1) everything is fine, there's no problem; less radiation than you'd get in a banana crowd or the (2) the food chain is  completely contaminated and we're all going to die crowd.  I do admit that some evidence and common sense are giving me pause before paying a premium price for these foods because I believe the food sources are safe, but I don't really know.  I just want to know, are they monitoring possible contamination levels of cesium and/or strontium-90 in their foods, which I think is all one can ask right now?   

 http://sfist.com/2013/12/30/is_there_a_lot_to_fear_with_fukushi.php

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Looks like Pacifica contains the highest amount of wild caught fish…60%.

I had been feeding Chicken and Burbank Potato - which contains wild caught flounder & herring.

You're right, most have some kind of fish --salt and/or freshwater.

The Single Ingredient -Lamb and Apple -- our new favorite -- has no fish but does have algae (?)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know this doesn't have to do with radiation, but flounder and herring are both on the "low mercury, enjoy freely" list in the link I posted below on mercury levels in fish. 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Yep, that's one of the reasons I love that formula :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

All three regionals that we do use have fish in one form or another : (

[Lorraine Bromley]

I am going to share a human story for you that people who feed fish constantly might want to consider. Our son went through years of mental and physical issues before we stumbled apon what was causing it. He loved tuna sandwiches and so when he was finished high school and moved out that is all he would take on his lunch. He ate them everyday and then also would make tuna melts with the rest for the evening or a quick breakfast. We didn't really know that. We did know he went through a lot when he moved back home and we did comment on it. He ended up turning into an angry monster a complete opposite of what he has always been the most smiling happy clown. We actually thought he either started heavy drugs or was mentally ill. It was MERCURY poisoning. We stumbled apon it when the news broadcast the recommendation that pregnant women should not eat any type of tuna. Looked up the symptoms and it was exactly everything my son had had even shingles!  He stopped immediately had blood work (our dr took it seriously) and it was to the point that it had crossed the blood brain barrier. The implications had we not uncovered it could have been deadly. He took at least a year to become our son again. He can NEVER eat any tuna or fish again. Once in a while is ok. Not as the dogs only meal if it was my dood.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Champion does test for mercury.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, the levels of mercury in tuna have been found to be much, much higher than those in many other kinds of fish; all fish doesn't contain it. Here is a helpful guide to the mercury levels in various types of fish: 

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I'm sorry about your son's issues with mercury poisoning. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Me too.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I guess I'm kind of jaded on the topic of radioactive contamination because as a baby boomer, I grew up with periodic hysteria over "fallout" and related issues from atomic testing. I remember when we were told we would die if we ate snow, lol. 

And the term "Strontium 90" brought back similar memories, if I remember correctly, there was great concern over Strontium 90 in our milk, a long time ago. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh yes, I remember that. But then I remember nuclear drills in school. You got under the desk with your rear end to the window as if that would protect you somehow. But I guess we have to assess each new threat as it comes along. Right now I'm thinking about global cooling : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

OMD, "air raid drills"!!!!!

I forgot about those! We had them just as often as fire drills, but the procedure was totally different, because you left the building for fire drills, lol!