sue.t
Ibex Valley, YUKON
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Argh ... just got back from grocery shopping. I don't buy dog food at the grocery store so have never stopped to read the sign they have posted about the recall. Today I did. The sign indicated the recall affected only pet foods that were the "cuts and gravy" varities. I found the store manager and asked if they were up-to-date on the recall. He said they "were all over it". So I asked if their intent was to deliberately mislead customers. And I let him know the recall had expanded to include some dry foods. He said he doubted that since head office was "all over it". And he said he fed Iams dry food to his dog so he was watching the recall closely. I asked if he was aware the recall had expanded the past week to include rice byproduct and also expanded to include more dry foods. Again he said, they were "all over it". I told him then, quite bluntly, that they were not providing accurate info to their customers, that I didn't have issue with the foods they had on their shelves, but had issue with the sign which was misleading and untruthful. He said they would phone to double-check. I think I'll phone their head office to double check too, and determine their definition of "all over it".
sue t.
Pictures from our many RV Adventures to Yukon & Alaska from Vancouver Island. Now we live in Yukon!
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sue.t
Ibex Valley, YUKON
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Third tainted ingredient detected in pet foods
Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 | 12:43 PM ET
CBC News
An industrial chemical imported from China has now been detected in a third ingredient used to make pet foods, leading officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to speculate that the contamination may be intentional.
Melamine, which is used in plastics, was found in wheat gluten and in rice protein concentrate that was imported from China to make pet foods in the United States in recent weeks and days. That and the deaths of 16 pets in March led to a recall of more than 100 dog and cat foods in the U.S.
Now, melamine has been detected in imported corn gluten in South Africa that has killed 30 dogs, officials from the South African Veterinary Association said Friday.
The tainted corn gluten ingredient has not been found in the U.S., but FDA investigators are waiting for visas that would allow them to visit the Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced.
"Melamine was found in all three of those — it would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China," Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian, told reporters.
Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.
"What we expect to do with our inspections in China will answer some of those questions," said Michael Rogers, director of the division of field investigations within the FDA's office of regulatory affairs.
Wilbur-Ellis Co., the U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, said Thursday it was recalling all the ingredients it had distributed to five U.S. pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
So far, just two of those companies have done so: Natural Balance Pet Foods and Blue Buffalo Co.
Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., announced a limited recall Monday of its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
Blue Buffalo, of Wilton, Conn., followed Thursday by recalling 5,044 bags of its Spa Select Kitten dry food. The company intercepted most of the kitten food before it reached distribution centres, company co-founder Billy Bishop said.
FDA officials would not release the names of the other two manufacturers that Wilbur-Ellis supplied, citing its ongoing investigation.
In South Africa, a range of dog and cat dry pet food products were recalled after they were found to contain corn gluten contaminated with melamine.
Last week, the makers of Vets Choice and Royal Canin pet foods in South Africa recalled the products, manufactured in its Johannesburg plant between March 8 and April 11 and sold in South Africa and Namibia. They have said they will compensate pet owners for the loss of their animals.
The FDA could not provide updated numbers of pet deaths or injuries due to the contaminated pet food. The agency has received more than 15,000 calls since the first recall was announced more than a month ago.
Sensible Choice Diet food joins recall list
On Friday, Royal Canin Canada said it has added Sensible Choice Diet and some veterinary-prescribed products to the growing list of recalled pet foods.
The company also cut its ties with Chinese suppliers of its vegetable proteins.
The recall covers five veterinary diet products:
- Canine Early Cardiac.
- Canine Sensitivity RC.
- Canine Skin Support.
- Feline Hypoallergenic HP.
- Feline Sensitivity RD.
Earlier this month, Royal Canin recalled its Medi-Cal Feline Dissolution Formula after discovering that it could have also been contaminated with melamine.
In Canada, the federal government has asked the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to review whether pet food should be regulated.
The CFIA will determine what, if any, action the government should take to better monitor the ingredients of pet food, federal agriculture officials said. The agency can recommend that pet food be regulated, but can also suggest other unspecified options for monitoring pet food ingredients, with the aim of improving food safety.
With files from the Associated Press and the Canadian Press
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Deb and Ed M
SW MI & Space Coast, FL USA
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BCSnob wrote:
At 6.6% by weight, there must have been lots of melamine left in the bags.
Mark
LOL!! yeah - today, CNN said that it had been deliberately added to the grain product to raise the protein levels.
Deb
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Br-
Ohio
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April 22nd, 2007
UPDATE: The toxin found in these foods is cyanuric acid - not melamine. This is the first recall attributed to cyanuric acid.
Royal Canin has discovered a new contaminant in rice gluten. This contaminant is cyanuric acid, which is chemically related to, but distinct from, melamine.
ORIGINAL POST: Due to contaminated rice protein concentrate, Royal Canin has recalled the following cat and dog products from Canada on Friday:
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine EARLY CARDIAC
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine SENSITIVITY RC (Rice and Catfish)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine SKIN SUPPORT
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline HYPOALLERGENIC HP
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline SENSITIVITY RD (Rice and Duck)
These differ from the products pulled from the US. Two products, Feline Sensitivity RD and Canine Sensitivity RC are not currently recalled in the US. We do not know whether the food was made in Canada or the US. Therefore, it is also not clear whether the tainted rice protein went to Canada.
So far, Royal Canin has pulled products due to tainted wheat gluten, corn gluten and rice protein in the US, Canada, and South Africa. And is being sued for Vitamin D overdose.
Full release from Medi-Cal Canada homepage after the jump.
They have also promised to no longer use vegetable protein from China.
Bruce & Sue
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JTMO
Novato, CA
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Well folks, it is now you and me. My cat is dead, and these IDIOTS are taking the recalled plastic food and feeding it to PIGS for human consumption. IDIOTS.....
Corn gluten (not here, but I bet it is), rice gluten, wheat gluten, any protein concentrate. But, the FDA is asleep at the wheel if the did not issue stop orders and seizures of this food.
In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm (American Hog farms) under quarantine after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing was under way to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said.
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Happytraveler
Capistrano Beach, Ca. USA
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JTMO wrote:Well folks, it is now you and me. My cat is dead, and these IDIOTS are taking the recalled plastic food and feeding it to PIGS for human consumption. IDIOTS.....
Corn gluten (not here, but I bet it is), rice gluten, wheat gluten, any protein concentrate. But, the FDA is asleep at the wheel if the did not issue stop orders and seizures of this food.
In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm (American Hog farms) under quarantine after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing was under way to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said.
OMG, I'm so sorry. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE. I don't understand how this could happen to our pets. I don't think food manufactures even care about our pets. I'm starting think it's all about profit. Who do you trust?
Charlie, a male Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Katie, a female Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
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Gottahaveit
Stockton CA
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John, I'm with you here..There is just no excuse and it seems to be getting worse. Heck the Pig farm is less than 30 min. from here. I threw out ALL my Doggie treats and found some at Trader Joes that seem to be ok. Again, we are so sorry for the unnecessary loss of Luna. She was a great kitty.
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JTMO
Novato, CA
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Thanks Kathie, again...
Me, I think it was all the Chinese company. Then the pet food companies just really did not know what they were getting from where, lack of tracking.
So, at that point it's all up to us to do the best we can to protect our pets, and now ourselves since it is now in our food chain.
But, some heads should roll for taking recalled food and feeding it to anythin else.
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Br-
Ohio
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Full details:
http://www.itchmo.com/read/second-company-likely-imported-tainted-rice-protein-from-china_20070423
Two US Senators say that a company in addition to Wilbur-Ellis has imported rice protein concentrate that is “also likely to be contaminated with melamine.”
They say that the FDA is aware of the second importer, but is not identifying the company. The information was provided to the senators from industry insiders, not the FDA. Despite a senate hearing, the FDA continues to withhold information about the companies involved.
Please stay tuned over the next few days for more possible recalls.
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Deb and Ed M
SW MI & Space Coast, FL USA
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Br- wrote:
They say that the FDA is aware of the second importer, but is not identifying the company. The information was provided to the senators from industry insiders, not the FDA. Despite a senate hearing, the FDA continues to withhold information about the companies involved.
.
This is simply criminal - the FDA knows companies that are producing tainted products - but won't name them? Are they pet food manufacturers, or human food manufacturers? What the heck???????????
But how do you call the Authorities on the authorities???? How do you penalize the FDA?? Apparently, if you are a large enough company with enough $$$$, the FDA will protect you from angry, poisoned citizens???
I thought the FDA was supposed to protect US?
Deb
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