The American Hog Farm, a 1500-animal facility in Ceres, has been quarantined by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and lab testing has revealed the presence of the chemical melamine in pig urine. Additional testing of tissues, serum and urine from animals at the farm is underway at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at UC Davis to determine if melamine is present in meat.

It is believed the melamine originated with rice protein concentrate shipped from China. Through an importer, the concentrate was distributed to Diamond Pet Foods, a pet food manufacturer in Lathrop, which sold salvage pet food to the farm for pig feed.

For more information, see the California Department of Food and Agriculture press release at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/pa/pressreleases/PressRelease.asp?PRnum=07-041 (updated April 22, 2007).