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I spotted this factoid on another forum:

Just a random fact... did you know that there is no natural occurring iron in molasses? The iron in the molasses comes from the machines that process it?! Cool eh? (Which isn't bad! The iron in metal is the same as the iron in a steak.)

I vaguely recall asking my vet about zinc in food long years back. She explained how it's VERY different from the zinc in cages -- and not harmful to our birds -- but I can't recall any more about her explanation than just that all-important conclusion. I presume iron in food is similarly different from what might shave off a processing machine. Would you tell me if I'm right?

TIA, Paca

In foods certain metals are often bound strongly to larger molecular structures, for example, Co is present in B12. Iron is often bound to porphyrins. In some cases the bonding is very strong, in others much less so. I suspect "No natural iron" may be overstating the case, because iron is present in all living things, unless they are carefully refined, which molasses most definitely is not.

Once any bound metal atom is released from a larger molecular structure it is absolutely no different from any other unbound metal atom of its kind, there is nothing "magic" about it having been once in a biochemical structure.

Also, the zinc in foods is present in rather small amounts whilst the Zn coating on cages is virtually pure zinc.

Thus in cases where metal atoms remain bonded to things like porphyrin rings, etc. they are different when obtained from food sources than otherwise. However, metal atoms that are not molecularly bound are thus absolutely the same no matter what the source. They are also the same if they are labile, that is easily stripped from biochemical structures.

Iron is fairly easy to strip from many biochemical structures, so I suspect simple iron salts may be no different than ones naturally in foods. Because iron occurs in many biochemical structures both situations may obtain.

Calcium is an example of a material in foods that is not strongly bound at all. Calcium chloride is thus no different to an organism than natural calcium compounds. One of the most amazing things to me is that calcium is toxic in large amounts, and in amounts only slightly above required amounts. Amazingly living organisms, including us, normally adjust their diet to get just the right amount!

My cousin some time back fed her chickens some pelleted food that contained calcium, and the manufacturer had put too much calcium in the pellets, and most of the chickens died. Yet the chickens running around in the wild when surrounded by calcium compounds do not ever poison themselves even when there are calcium containing things surrounding them! Is that not amazing?!

Thanks so much, Robert! I'll make good use of this information. And since no good deed goes "unpunished," I have yet another question for you. I'll start another thread since it's completely unrelated.

Thanks again, Paca

Interesting thing about calcium:

1. calcium carbonate is toxic in large doses, and feeds containing calcium in this form usually show the calcium content as less than 1%, or even 0.5% Bird seeds that have added calcium also have mineral or walnut oil to allow the calcium to stick to the seeds. See item #3. I would be careful about people taking limestone & coral food supplements.

2. dicalcium phosphate, which would be bone meal, is degraded and absorbed more slowly, but is the product that most land animals utilize.

3. oils and fats in the diet interfere with the absorption of calcium, and turns it into a fatty sludge which cannot be used.

4. Different animals absorb and use calcium differently.
Baby birds in dark nests don't develop strong bones until they get sunlight.
Human babies and toddlers don't have the same type of strong bones that adults have.

A bit more about calcium carbonate. This simple calcium compound acts/reacts in the same way as its relatives sodium and potassium, as instead of having tight molecular bonds, they have ionic bonds that separate in water and react as a caustic hydroxide, which heats up. Think about cement, and DRAINO and even some of the solutions used to prepare food products: the limewater for hominy and other corn products, and whatever is used to preserve some fruits for candying. (I'm not sure if it's calcium or potassium carbonate.)

It's been quite a few years ago, but I'm thinking that I gave Scooter Calcium carbonate injections for his high zinc level....I did this twice....and he kept coming back a boarderline high...I decided that was his norm...and he's been fine ever since...that was at least 9 years ago...so I may be mistaken...