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 โ 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