TEXT RELATED GUIDED PROCESS ESSAY: THE GERMAN DIOXIN SCARE

The following set of notes have been compiled from two texts concerning the recent dioxin scandal in Germany (and consequently in the rest of Western Europe). Use these notes to write a half page summary of the two short texts on the BBC website (bbc.co.uk/news). When you have completed your summaries, your teacher will give you a copy of the original texts which you will then be able to read and compare to your own piece of writing. The names of the texts are as follows:”Dioxin scare: German feed fat contains 77 times limit” and “Q&A: German dioxin scare”.  Before you start read the notes carefully and decide how you should reorganize them to produce a chronological and well thought out paragraph – as you would when writing any good summary. You will also need to use the passive voice throughout to emphasize the process and its effects.

THE NOTES

Levels of dioxin: 77 times permitted level

                              Permitted level: 0.75 nanograms /kg

                              Feed: 58 nanograms /kg

Plant (Harles und Jentzsch): Fats

                                                 For use in industrial processes (paper making for instance)

                                                 And for use in: animal feed (to enrich it)

Mix up:  Fatty acids for industrial processes into vegetable feed fat

                Fatty acids contain dioxin

Delivered to: 25 animal feed makers

 Feed fed to: Chickens and pigs

Poisoned poultry, pork and eggs:  First in Germany

Later, exported to: The Netherlands, Britain

There: Into mayonnaise, cakes and the like

March last year: High levels of dioxin noted by H&J

Government: Nothing until December 2010

Feed company: Not registered to avoid controls

Dioxin: Toxic, cancer, harm to pregnant women, developmental problems, damage to immune system, interfere with hormones

Spread throughout EU: Hard to determine

Because: Food production and processing systems integrated

Authorities: Not to worry; consumers would have to eat vast quantities to be sick