Pet Food Recall

[rangerette]

yahoo news link - pet food recall

There is incomplete information at this time, but thought it good to post this as soon as possible.

[Br-]

Not sure what products are affected yet.

April 26th, 2007

Wilbur-Ellis Rice Protein Concentrate Recalls:

UPDATE: AP identifies another (fifth) pet food maker that received tainted rice protein concentrate: American Nutrition in Utah.

products

[sue_t]

China bans melamine in food but rejects it as cause of pet food deaths
Last Updated: Thursday, April 26, 2007 | 6:57 AM ET (CBC Website)
The Associated Press

China said Thursday it has banned melamine from food products after the chemical was found in exports of vegetable protein shipped to the United States, but rejected it as the cause of dozens of pet deaths in North America.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials say they suspect the substance, which is a chemical found in plastics and pesticides, is to blame.

China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement there was no evidence to support the FDA's claim but that it would co-operate with the United States to find out what actually killed the animals.

The comments in a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry were the first detailed response from Beijing to concerns that emerged a month ago about the country's wheat and rice gluten exports.

China has said it was investigating the issue but had not acknowledged until Thursday that Chinese companies had shipped gluten tainted with melamine to the United States.

The ministry said the contaminated vegetable protein managed to get past customs without inspection because it had not been declared for use in pet food.

"At present, there is no clear evidence showing that melamine is the direct cause of the poisoning or death of the pets," the statement said. "China is willing to strengthen co-operation with the U.S. side … to find out the real cause leading to the pet deaths in order to protect the health of the pets of the two countries."

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials have said they suspect Chinese wheat and rice gluten laced with melamine and added to pet food may have killed at least 15 cats and dogs. The chemical appears to have caused acute kidney failure in animals that have died or been sickened after eating foods contaminated with the chemical.

China said an investigation triggered by FDA complaints found melamine in wheat and rice gluten exported to the United States by two Chinese companies: Xuzhou Anying Bio-technology Development Company and Binzhou Futian Bio-technology Company.

The case has prompted China to step up inspections of plant-based proteins and to list melamine as a banned substance for food exports and domestic sales, it said.

China also invited FDA officials to visit China to help with further investigations into the case and to consult on improving inspection techniques, it said.

[Happytraveler]

Drs. Fosters & Smith Products Recalled Due to Rice Protein

April 25th, 2007



Another pet food maker ? Drs. Fosters & Smith ? is issuing a recall due to the use of Wilbur-Ellis rice protein (scroll down the page). Oddly, the manufacturer says they received the recall advice today, not last week.



Rice protein concentrate has been indicated as a possible source of melamine recently found in pet food products. As a precautionary measure Wilbur-Ellis company, the supplier of rice protein concentrate, is voluntarily recalling all lots of rice protein concentrate. We received notification from the manufacturer today, April 25, 2007, suggesting we issue a precautionary recall.


http://www.itchmo.com/read/drs-fosters-smith-products-recalled_20070425

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Little Kopit wrote:
[
There is a legal side to this all. An organization, such as the FDA needs to watch out for lawsuits. & that means making absolutely sure about information before making it public.

🙂

I know.... it's just that I saw how long it took the FDA to react to the PBB poisoning in Michigan. They finally reacted a YEAR after the accidental mixing of PBB into cattle feed. Tens of thousands of animals died (and reportedly, more than a few humans). We Michigan folk probably STILL have it in our bodies....

Deb

[Br-]

Here's another one, livesmart weight management chicken & brown rice.

smartpak

[Little_Kopit]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

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

There is a legal side to this all. An organization, such as the FDA needs to watch out for lawsuits. & that means making absolutely sure about information before making it public.

🙂

[Happytraveler]

Click Link.... Imported Tainted Rice Protein

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

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

[Br-]

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.

[JTMO]

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.

[Gottahaveit]

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.

[Happytraveler]

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?

[JTMO]

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.

[Br-]

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.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

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