• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

This is a heads up for those of us who use GSE....

Status
Not open for further replies.

Billie Faye

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,076
Location
NC
Real Name
Billie Faye
I got this email today and wanted to pass it along....I have been a user/promoter of the use of GSE and now am backing off from it for use with our birds.... LOW Gut floral has come up over the pasts years with birds who have been given GSE in their water or soaking of sprouts....I think this is something all of us should take a hard look into and decide whether you want to continue its use with your birds....

This from independent testing labs:



Recalls and Warnings
Many "Grapefruit Seed Extracts" Adulterated
(Date Posted: 6/5/2012)

On June 4, 2012, the American Botanical Council (ABC) announced the publication of a review of scientific literature regarding "grapefruit seed extracts," raising concerns about apparent adulteration of products in the US and international marketplaces.

"Grapefruit seed extract" (GFSE) has been on the natural products market for at least 30 years as an ingredient in or preservative for cosmetics and related preparations for external use, and also in dietary supplements. The ingredient is supposedly an extract of the seeds of the common grapefruit and has been touted in modern, popular literature as a natural antimicrobial agent for both topical and internal use, including, but not limited to, eczema, acne, cold sores, athlete's foot, sore throats, thrush, vaginal infections, colds, various gastrointestinal disorders and infections, allergies, and gingivitis.

The article reviews 10 published analytical studies that have determined that various synthetic disinfectant chemicals have been found in commercial ingredients and/or products labeled as "grapefruit seed extract" since 1991.

These analytical studies performed on proprietary GFSE products have shown the presence of non-naturally occurring chemicals, including the microbicides benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, triclosan, and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate.

As noted in the HerbalGram article, contemporary research shows that "a significant amount, and possibly a majority, of ingredients, dietary supplements and/or cosmetics labeled as or containing grapefruit seed extract are adulterated, and any observed antimicrobial activity is due to synthetic additives, not the grapefruit seed extract itself."

Over time, the synthetic microbicides present in the GFSE products analyzed have changed, making a stronger case for the probability of adulteration. "The fact that the antimicrobial components found in GFSE changed from 1991 to 2008 not only argues against such in situ synthesis (i.e., occurring naturally or synthesized in the processing of grapefruit seed material itself), but is suggestive of efforts by manufacturers of these commercial materials to stay one step ahead of analytical methods to detect adulteration," writes the author, John Cardellina, PhD. "We do not know whether all products claiming to contain `grapefruit seed extract' are adulterated," said Mark Blumenthal, ABC Executive Director. "But, as our article shows, there is ample evidence in the scientific literature to raise serious concerns about the probable adulteration of such products."

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously issued Warning Letters to several companies for illegal drug claims describing antimicrobial and antifungal effects of GFSE-containing products sold as dietary supplements and cosmetics, among other violations for those products cited by the agency. However, the FDA did not deal with the issue of adulteration.

"We believe that the FDA should immediately investigate the apparent adulteration of GFSE-containing products and take appropriate regulatory action where necessary," Blumenthal added. "This includes testing commercial GFSE-containing products, inspecting manufacturing facilities, reviewing production records, and whatever other actions are appropriate to determine if adulterated, illegal products are being sold. If such a determination is made, the FDA should immediately take appropriate enforcement action."

For more information, use the link below.

Many Grapefruit Seed Extracts Adulterated Says Nonprofit Reseach Consortium
 

wonderb

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
2/5/12
Messages
5,752
I've just started using GSE in sprouts for the first time in many years. I've always been a little skeptical of the stuff, but this is worse than I thought! Can ACV be used in sprouts?
 

Billie Faye

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,076
Location
NC
Real Name
Billie Faye
Ellen Yes it can and is probably better also...I use it (ACV) on my sprouts when the tails start showing....
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,965
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
Guess I will be ceasing use of this!
 

jmfleish

Cruising the avenue
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/19/09
Messages
13,324
Location
Madison, WI
Real Name
Jen
I've been saying this for years! Thanks for posting this BF. GSE acts as an antibacterial. When you add it to food, even to rinse things like fruits and veggies and sprouts, it gets absorbed into the food and the bird ingests it. It's like giving your bird antibiotics, it kills all gut flora, good and bad, just like an antibiotic does which is why we are told to give probiotics when we are treating illness. I won't have this product in my house. I won't even clean with it. ACV works just as well and does not kill good gut bacteria.
 

marian

Cruising the avenue
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/23/09
Messages
12,921
Thanks for the info BF
 

Deejo

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/29/09
Messages
9,483
Location
Vancouver Island, BC
Real Name
Doris
I've been saying this for years! Thanks for posting this BF. GSE acts as an antibacterial. When you add it to food, even to rinse things like fruits and veggies and sprouts, it gets absorbed into the food and the bird ingests it. It's like giving your bird antibiotics, it kills all gut flora, good and bad, just like an antibiotic does which is why we are told to give probiotics when we are treating illness. I won't have this product in my house. I won't even clean with it. ACV works just as well and does not kill good gut bacteria.
Wonderful post Jen!
 

Ziggymon

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
7/2/10
Messages
5,796
Real Name
Heidrun, or Mouse
Thank you for posting this. I have been reading pros and cons, and this has decided me to stick with the ACV.
 

wonderb

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
2/5/12
Messages
5,752
Ellen Yes it can and is probably better also...I use it (ACV) on my sprouts when the tails start showing....
Thanks. I just bought the bottle of GSE and have used it once. Guess that was a waste of money :rolleyes: How much ACV do you use?
 

Birdiemarie

Feather Snuggler
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/14/09
Messages
42,502
Location
Ohio
Real Name
Marie
Thanks BF. This is a significant heads up.
 

Love My Zons

Cruising the avenue
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
11,343
Location
Central NC
Real Name
Claire
Good info BF. I never use this, I do however use AVC (organic/unpasteurized) to rinse their water bottles, as well as any fruits and veggies.

 

lotus15

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/23/10
Messages
11,517
Location
Bay Area
Real Name
Coco
Thanks BF. I have never been a fan of using GSE for internal purposes or anything involving ingestion. I read an article to this effect a while back and have steered clear of it since!
 

MommyBird

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
10/23/09
Messages
6,814
Location
Colorado
Real Name
Debbie
For my sprouts I add a bit of ACV to the final rinse and let it sit 15 min.

I was a microbiology lab tech for awhile and I wanted people to know that when wishing to really disinfect something, you need to let it have contact for awhile...not just pour it on and rinse it off.

Sometimes the pressures of the day to hurry up and do everything make me want to hurry it. A timer has helped me a lot.
 

65sunnyday

Biking along the boulevard
Joined
1/15/11
Messages
6,207
Location
Cleveland, OH
Real Name
April, aka 'SUNNY'
Thank you so much, Billy Fay, for the info. Guess who just bought a BIG container of this stuff--oh, well, I've never used it for ingestion, but use it for disinfection.
 

Birdbabe

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/17/09
Messages
26,105
Location
The valley of the sun
Thanks for the info, I put 4 drops in a sinkfull of water to wash all our fruits and vegies, even the birds food. Is that bad??/ Ive been using it for years:huh:
 

Billie Faye

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,076
Location
NC
Real Name
Billie Faye
Birdbabe...I have seen reports that this is causing LOW gut flora in birds and could be doing the same you too...I have changed my way of doing things...but you need to read and decide for yourself....
I eat a LOT of Greek Yogurt with live bateria in it...and give some to my birds also...depending on the size of the bird .....I do this a couple of times a week....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top