jules21 wrote:
you seem to be suggesting that the threshold for testing clen in beef is too high and that much would be undetected.
I am suggesting, that testing levels for WADA and Asoprovac are two entirely different situations.
Here's a nice rundown on WADA Labs.
Part of the problem is that clenbuterol detection has become so good. To be accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, labs must be able to detect very small concentrations. Some, however, can spot concentrations far lower than WADA’s required minimum, traces tiny enough to possibly have come from food, not doping.
Contador’s urine was analysed in one such lab, in Cologne, Germany. In a 2009 scientific paper, Cologne scientists said that, with superfine detection, clenbuterol positives “could be due to the consumption of trace amounts present in feed or principally also in the water supply.â€
“No doubt about it,†Detlef Thieme, who heads Germany’s other WADA-accredited lab, in Kreischa, says of the possibility of false positives from food. “That’s undisputed.â€
It’s “a very pressing problem and the faster it’s solved, the better.â€
One answer could be setting a threshold. Only clenbuterol concentrations above that limit would trigger sanctions. For now, WADA has a zero-tolerance policy on clenbuterol.
From your quoted Asoprovac piece, which most here, and most commentators passed over...
1. The association, which accounts for 85 percent of the country's meat production industry
There is another 15% produced outside Asoprovac- is it controlled?
2.the authorities carried out 14,179 controls, and there was not one positive case for Clenbuterol.
With the limits set as they are by the EU, and the Laboratories doing this testing only able to analyse to a
threshold level, 4000x higher than Contador's results, much could be missed, Yes.
3.Asoprovac stated "To comply with the current legislation, every animal destined for human consumption
has to be submitted to veterinary inspection ante and post mortem."
Does that mean that only 7000 or 14,000 odd animals, passed through their system, doesn't add up.
Some other facts, which make the Asoprovac piece, sound unconvincing.
Besides all of the consumed beef, coming from South America, and we don't know the state of it's control.
The change in emphasis in the Spanish beef production system is illustrated in the number of Irish calf exports making their way to Spain. In 2009, 24,500 Irish calves were exported to Spain. For the first seven weeks of 2010, live exports have increased by 35% on 2009 levels to 1,900 head. In 2008, 54% of total Spanish imports consisted of calves less than 80kg in weight.
This would make around 33,000 head being imported in 2010- Where are the control figures for these,
are they included in the 14,179 controls?
Spanish beef production has fallen by an estimated 22% since 2005 to 562,000 tonnes.
As already stated, Asoprovac... you have to start wondering, about the whole operation?