sue.t
Ibex Valley, YUKON
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Joined: 08/05/2004
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Recall widens as second industrial chemical found in tainted pet food
Last Updated: Thursday, April 19, 2007 | 9:17 AM ET
The Associated Press
An industrial chemical that led to the nationwide recall of more than 100 brands of cat and dog food has turned up in a second pet food ingredient imported from China.
"This has exposed that the safety standards for pet foods are not in place in any significant way and the kind of drumbeat, day after day, of recalls has shaken consumers' confidence in the pet food industry's adherence to food safety standards," said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the United States.
The chemical, melamine, is believed to have contaminated rice protein concentrate used to make a variety of Natural Balance Pet Foods products for both dogs and cats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
The FDA has found there is no evidence so far to suggest any of the rice protein went to companies that make human food, said Michael Rogers, director of the agency's division of field investigations. But the FDA has not accounted for all shipments of the imported ingredient.
Previously, the chemical was found to contaminate wheat gluten used by at least six other pet food and treat manufacturers. Both ingredients were imported from China, though by different companies and from different manufacturers.
FDA reviewing all rice protein concentrate imports
The FDA on Wednesday began reviewing and sampling all rice protein concentrate imported from China, much as the agency has been doing for wheat gluten, Rogers said.
Natural Balance said it was recalling all its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, its Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and its Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. The supplier of the tainted rice protein said early Thursday it was recalling all lots of the ingredient it had distributed to U.S. manufacturers and in turn urged them to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
The recalls now include products made by at least seven companies and sold under more than 100 brands. The Pacoima, Calif., company said recent laboratory tests showed its recalled products contain melamine. Natural Balance believes the source of the contaminant was rice protein concentrate, which the company recently added to the dry venison formulas.
A San Francisco company, Wilbur-Ellis Co., began importing the ingredient in July from a Chinese company, Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd., according to Wilbur-Ellis president and chief executive John Thacher. It resold the ingredient to five pet food manufacturers, including Diamond Pet Foods Inc. of Meta, Mo. Diamond manufactured the dry dog and cat foods recalled by Natural Balance, Diamond Pet Foods spokesman Jim Fallon said.
Thacher declined to identify his company's other four customers, except to say two tested the ingredient and found no melamine. Wilbur-Ellis has not heard from the other two, both of whom received limited amounts of the ingredient, Thacher said.
The FDA's tests detected melamine in a rice protein sample; the agency would not disclose the sample's origin. The source of the melamine remains unclear. It may have contaminated the rice protein through the reuse of dirty bags used to ship the products.
Over 60 million cans of pet food recalled in March
The recalls began March 16 when Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that had eaten its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with melamine, which is used in making plastics and other industrial processes.
Five other companies later recalled pet products also made with wheat gluten tainted by the chemical. The FDA has since blocked Chinese imports of wheat gluten.
Menu Foods continues to add more varieties to its recall list. Menu Foods spokesman Sam Bornstein did not know if the Streetsville, Ont.-based company also used rice protein concentrate as an ingredient in its pet foods, sold under more than 100 different major and store brands.
A House committee is holding a food safety hearing Tuesday and is expected to discuss the pet food recall.
sue t.
Pictures from our many RV Adventures to Yukon & Alaska from Vancouver Island. Now we live in Yukon!
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Br-
Ohio
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Joined: 03/01/2002
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Anyone using blue buffalo? You may want to check ingredients. Lite dog food does contain rice protein concentrate. See editors note from the petfoodlist.com:
Brands include BLUE for dogs, and Spa Select for Cats
No products made by Menu Foods (have never used Menu)
Products do not contain wheat gluten, soy, or corn
All ingredients from US except lamb from New Zealand
They do not manufacture food in their own facility. Manufacturer is confidential but they have their own vets and staff on location at all times and ingredients are tested before and after each run.
Editors note: According to Blue Buffalo website, some products contain rice protein concentrate.
Bruce & Sue
2007 pleasure-way excel-ts
Previously owned:'02 Trail-lite B+
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Happytraveler
Capistrano Beach, Ca. USA
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Joined: 07/16/2003
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Recalls Link
This has been a difficult decision as corn gluten contamination has not hit North America. But based on patterns of development and expansion of recall in the US, Itchmo is issuing a warning to pet parents out of abundance of caution.
We stress that NO US OR CANADIAN CONNECTION HAS BEEN REPORTED.
BREAKING NEWS: Melamine in Corn Gluten Linked to South African Pet Illnesses
April 19th, 2007
The 29 cases of renal failure in South Africa has been linked to melamine in corn gluten used in pet food. Corn gluten is used extensively in the US.
Tests have confirmed that Vets Choice and Royal Canin dog and cat dry pet-food products contained corn gluten contaminated with melamine, says the manufacturer.
The contaminated corn gluten was delivered to Royal Canin by a South African third-party supplier and appears to have originated from China.
We were tracking cases of the South African pet deaths before and have heard rumors of corn gluten contamination.
At this point, we believe that all corn gluten should be considered at risk for contamination and should be tested by every pet food manufacturer and the FDA.
Charlie, a male Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Katie, a female Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
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Br-
Ohio
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Joined: 03/01/2002
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We were afraid that corn gluten would be next! I called science diet and the girl told me she could not guarantee that their corn gluten meal did not come from China. We had been slowly weaning him off science diet canned lite. He seems fine so far.
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Happytraveler
Capistrano Beach, Ca. USA
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Joined: 07/16/2003
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Br- wrote:We were afraid that corn gluten would be next! I called science diet and the girl told me she could not guarantee that their corn gluten meal did not come from China. We had been slowly weaning him off science diet canned lite. He seems fine so far.
That is scary. They can't guarantee their corn gluten meal did not come from China. I guess it's all about profits just like everything else these days.
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Br-
Ohio
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Joined: 03/01/2002
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Looks like no end in sight! This from itchmo.com.
Royal Canin is recalling several formulations due to contaminated rice protein concentrate. No illnesses are confirmed in relation to these items. Royal Canin also recently recalled pet food in South Africa due to melamine found in corn gluten.
Recalled items:
ROYAL CANIN SENSIBLE CHOICE (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
Dry Dog Food
- Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult
ROYAL CANIN VETERINARY DIET (available only in veterinary clinics)
Dry Dog Food
- Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™
- Canine Skin Support SS21™
Dry Cat Food
- Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™
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Deb and Ed M
SW MI & Space Coast, FL USA
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Joined: 06/07/2004
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sue.t wrote: The source of the melamine remains unclear. It may have contaminated the rice protein through the reuse of dirty bags used to ship the products.
Could this be the "smoking gun"??? Reusing bags that have contained melamine in the past (a granular product, I'm pretty sure) - and now carrying grain products?????
Deb
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Deb and Ed M
SW MI & Space Coast, FL USA
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Joined: 06/07/2004
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Personally, I'm going to avoid anything that lists a "gluten" or grain "protein concentrate" as an ingredient - at least until we know what the problem really is.
So far, Iams green-bag dry food passes this test.
Deb
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BCSnob
Middletown, MD
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Joined: 02/23/2002
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I'd probably agree with the "dirty bag" hypothesis except for this....
Quote:Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the agency, said at a news conference last week that the agency had found unusually high concentrations of melamine in some batches of wheat gluten, as much as 6.6 percent. The agency said the concentrations were high enough to have led to kidney failure in some pets.
Clues to pet food recall traced to Chinese city
At 6.6% by weight, there must have been lots of melamine left in the bags.
Mark
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Code2High
One hour past Nowhere, CA
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Joined: 12/21/2004
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Blue Buffalo has now recalled one of their foods. In addition, it seems there are two more companies that may have bought tainted rice protein and haven't yet been id'd. Here's a link to an article from today:
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/........70412155809990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
susan
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a wabbit, Fuzzy Wuzzy had a dandelion habit! RIP little Wuz... don't go far.
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