Comments on: Pet food recall: Blue Buffalo pulls a food http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Shari Mann http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34477 Shari Mann Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:53:18 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34477 Well now we have a better clue as to what has happened to the recalled pet food. Sold to pig farmers? Ya think? Why else would melamine be appearing in pig urine? Has this any ramifications for the human food industry? I'm also still wondering why that wheat gluten / rice protein concentrate was labeled for pet food use only. Could it be that it came from genetically engineered grain? That's legal in China, you know. And genetically engineered grain produces its' own pesticides internally. the below paragraph was snipped from this website: http://tinyurl.com/28r4ud "The ‘plastic’, ‘wood preservative’, contaminant melamine, the parent chemical for a potent insecticide cyromazine, could possibly have been manufactured WITHIN the wheat plants themselves as a genetically engineered pesticide." Food for thought? Shari Well now we have a better clue as to what has happened to the recalled pet food. Sold to pig farmers? Ya think? Why else would melamine be appearing in pig urine? Has this any ramifications for the human food industry?

I’m also still wondering why that wheat gluten / rice protein concentrate was labeled for pet food use only. Could it be that it came from genetically engineered grain? That’s legal in China, you know. And genetically engineered grain produces its’ own pesticides internally.

the below paragraph was snipped from this website:
http://tinyurl.com/28r4ud

“The ‘plastic’, ‘wood preservative’, contaminant melamine, the parent chemical for a potent insecticide cyromazine, could possibly have been manufactured WITHIN the wheat plants themselves as a genetically engineered pesticide.”

Food for thought?

Shari

]]> By: marianne http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34367 marianne Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:18:56 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34367 In support of Carole, and in answer to Laura, about Blue Buffalo. I'm actually one of those who turned off of Purina in a BIG way, but am not leaving Blue Buffalo. I have a few reasons with the Purina. When I put all the Iams away, I bought Purina One dry for both the cat and dog, and Alpo Prime Cuts & Gravy for the dog. I had that Alpo for two weeks before the recall of it was anonunced. I bought their products because when they rcalled the Mighty Dog pouches they assured the safety of everything else they make because it's made in house. I read the multiple concerns of pet owners with sick pets from Alpo, one week before the recall, and had stopped using it based on their reports. The Purina One dry cat food has wheat gluten in it. I stopped that for obvious reasons, before the Alpo thing. When they recalled the Alpo, which was safe the week before because they make everything else in house, remember? I decided that I was done with Purina. The six month label rule, the probable exchange of glutens when they're shorter on one than another. The dogs Purina One has corn gluten in it, but I had dumped it on suspicion already, or as my husband also calls it, paranoia. Now I feel like Nostradomus. I'm not leaving Blue Buffalo for multiple reasons also. They were upfront. From the moment the rice news broke, they made no guarantees except to say "We don't know, we're checking the source of our rice , and we're testing the food just to be safe." Not a false promise. Within 24hrs of the news breaking, they recalled their food. Without the FDA calling them, on their own. No vet had to get the food independently tested and then wave the results in their face, like other companies. They are not blithely assuring their food is safe without testing, despite multiple consumer concerns. They do not have their heads stuck inthe sand STILL when it comes to their dry foods like Iams and Purina. They're still not testing, all their food is safe. Funny, all of Purina's food has corn gluten. I know, I checked. I wonder if they listened to people about their dry food when PETA wanted the testing done, we'd also know about the corn gluten issue, not playing catch up. Yes, there are pet food nightmares. I had them before Blue. I've had them again this week. But I'm sticking with them because they've never hidden their ingredients, and the ones I'm using don't have wheat gluten, corn gluten or rice protein concentrate. I have no reason to change. If I did change, can you tell me who else would be safer, Laura? Probably not. none of us can, we're all caught in this together. In support of Carole, and in answer to Laura, about Blue Buffalo. I’m actually one of those who turned off of Purina in a BIG way, but am not leaving Blue Buffalo. I have a few reasons with the Purina. When I put all the Iams away, I bought Purina One dry for both the cat and dog, and Alpo Prime Cuts & Gravy for the dog. I had that Alpo for two weeks before the recall of it was anonunced. I bought their products because when they rcalled the Mighty Dog pouches they assured the safety of everything else they make because it’s made in house. I read the multiple concerns of pet owners with sick pets from Alpo, one week before the recall, and had stopped using it based on their reports. The Purina One dry cat food has wheat gluten in it. I stopped that for obvious reasons, before the Alpo thing. When they recalled the Alpo, which was safe the week before because they make everything else in house, remember? I decided that I was done with Purina. The six month label rule, the probable exchange of glutens when they’re shorter on one than another. The dogs Purina One has corn gluten in it, but I had dumped it on suspicion already, or as my husband also calls it, paranoia. Now I feel like Nostradomus.
I’m not leaving Blue Buffalo for multiple reasons also. They were upfront. From the moment the rice news broke, they made no guarantees except to say “We don’t know, we’re checking the source of our rice , and we’re testing the food just to be safe.” Not a false promise. Within 24hrs of the news breaking, they recalled their food. Without the FDA calling them, on their own. No vet had to get the food independently tested and then wave the results in their face, like other companies. They are not blithely assuring their food is safe without testing, despite multiple consumer concerns. They do not have their heads stuck inthe sand STILL when it comes to their dry foods like Iams and Purina. They’re still not testing, all their food is safe. Funny, all of Purina’s food has corn gluten. I know, I checked. I wonder if they listened to people about their dry food when PETA wanted the testing done, we’d also know about the corn gluten issue, not playing catch up. Yes, there are pet food nightmares. I had them before Blue. I’ve had them again this week. But I’m sticking with them because they’ve never hidden their ingredients, and the ones I’m using don’t have wheat gluten, corn gluten or rice protein concentrate. I have no reason to change. If I did change, can you tell me who else would be safer, Laura? Probably not. none of us can, we’re all caught in this together.

]]> By: Paige http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34226 Paige Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:41:06 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34226 My husband believes im paranoid now that all of this is going on. I've never believed that our government would purposely do something like this. Knowing for days or weeks and then finally telling us just what they wanted us to know. Luckily we are in Europe right now (hubby military) and can get food easily with no wheat, rice, corn...I just wanted to say my heart goes out to all of you who have lost your "babies". Wish I could do more. My husband believes im paranoid now that all of this is going on. I’ve never believed that our government would purposely do something like this. Knowing for days or weeks and then finally telling us just what they wanted us to know. Luckily we are in Europe right now (hubby military) and can get food easily with no wheat, rice, corn…I just wanted to say my heart goes out to all of you who have lost your “babies”. Wish I could do more.

]]> By: joyce http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34166 joyce Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:14:37 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34166 In some ways, it's actually a good thing that Menu Foods has operated in such an underhanded way since the recall. If they had been honest and forthright, this whole thing might have died down prematurely. It might have taken a lot longer to make the connection in these new contamination cases, and even more pets would have died. Of course, that doesn't excuse them. In some ways, it’s actually a good thing that Menu Foods has operated in such an underhanded way since the recall. If they had been honest and forthright, this whole thing might have died down prematurely. It might have taken a lot longer to make the connection in these new contamination cases, and even more pets would have died. Of course, that doesn’t excuse them.

]]> By: Laura http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34086 Laura Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:59:12 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34086 Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:40 pm Your move away from gluten was flat-out prescient. Good for you! And sorry - I didn't mean to pick on you specifically about the brand issue. But it's a big issue here. There are dozens of folks who've sworn off anything Menu or Purina or DelMonte makes, recalled or not. Yet, if it's a boutique food, it's another story. Why is that so? Like I said above, I don't buy anymore that there's much if any difference, except in our perception that more expensive equals better. They're all made at the same places, using the same stuff (witness the original recall list, ranging from Nutro to Safeway brand. The same crap went into both.) If the last month hasn't proved that, what would it take? Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:40 pm

Your move away from gluten was flat-out prescient. Good for you!

And sorry - I didn’t mean to pick on you specifically about the brand issue. But it’s a big issue here.

There are dozens of folks who’ve sworn off anything Menu or Purina or DelMonte makes, recalled or not. Yet, if it’s a boutique food, it’s another story. Why is that so?

Like I said above, I don’t buy anymore that there’s much if any difference, except in our perception that more expensive equals better. They’re all made at the same places, using the same stuff (witness the original recall list, ranging from Nutro to Safeway brand. The same crap went into both.) If the last month hasn’t proved that, what would it take?

]]> By: Carole http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34082 Carole Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:48:43 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34082 "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." If two of these companies did test and found nothing, who is to say that we will ever hear anything out of them? “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.”

If two of these companies did test and found nothing, who is to say that we will ever hear anything out of them?

]]> By: Carole http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34079 Carole Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:40:29 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34079 Actually I quit IAMS only because we were using wet food and were not comfortable with the Menu Food lots we had. And those not that were not Menu Food lots had gluten. I switched over to Purina wet and am still using it with no problem. So, I don't have a problem with Purina other than the fact that I have not used the dry I purchased because it contains gluten of some sort. Personally, I am not basing my decisions on company. I am basing it on product and what is best for my cats. I took them off all gluten of any kind back in March and am glad I did given the recent news. The point I was trying to make about Blue Buffalo is that their food met my criteria by not having anything I was concerned about. That has not changed. I was not using a product with the rice protein or any other sort of gluten so it's no less safe today than it was five days ago. Folks have to go with what they are comfortable with. Just because Blue Buffalo had to recall their kitten food with rice protein doesn't mean the entire company and every product they make is all of a sudden tainted. Actually I quit IAMS only because we were using wet food and were not comfortable with the Menu Food lots we had. And those not that were not Menu Food lots had gluten.

I switched over to Purina wet and am still using it with no problem. So, I don’t have a problem with Purina other than the fact that I have not used the dry I purchased because it contains gluten of some sort.

Personally, I am not basing my decisions on company. I am basing it on product and what is best for my cats. I took them off all gluten of any kind back in March and am glad I did given the recent news.

The point I was trying to make about Blue Buffalo is that their food met my criteria by not having anything I was concerned about. That has not changed. I was not using a product with the rice protein or any other sort of gluten so it’s no less safe today than it was five days ago.

Folks have to go with what they are comfortable with. Just because Blue Buffalo had to recall their kitten food with rice protein doesn’t mean the entire company and every product they make is all of a sudden tainted.

]]> By: Laura http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34072 Laura Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:30:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34072 Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 9:42 pm I think it's interesting that when one of the big producers like Menu or Purina screws up, everyone swears off everything they produce, forever and ever, amen... but when it's a "good guy" producer like Blue Buffalo, many folks here and on itchmo say, "well, it's just one product. The rest are okay." So how does THAT work? I'm sorry, but I think they're all crooks. Cheap crap in big sacks, or boutique-label crap in small sacks. It's all made by the same profit-driven producers in the same unregulated factories. Why, exactly, should Blue Buffalo get a mulligan? Just curious. Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 9:42 pm

I think it’s interesting that when one of the big producers like Menu or Purina screws up, everyone swears off everything they produce, forever and ever, amen…

but when it’s a “good guy” producer like Blue Buffalo, many folks here and on itchmo say, “well, it’s just one product. The rest are okay.”

So how does THAT work?

I’m sorry, but I think they’re all crooks. Cheap crap in big sacks, or boutique-label crap in small sacks. It’s all made by the same profit-driven producers in the same unregulated factories.

Why, exactly, should Blue Buffalo get a mulligan? Just curious.

]]> By: Carole http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34060 Carole Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:21:06 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34060 I don't endorse turning this into an international nightmare, however if the United Nations had any real power other than to write resolutions that they can't enforce, they could ping China on this. Seeing as how one of their functions is to promote health and socio-economic stability throughout the world, and seeing as how China is a permanent member, the UN should sit them down and ask them what the hell their problem is. But I've always said the UN is the equivalent of Queen Elizabeth. I don’t endorse turning this into an international nightmare, however if the United Nations had any real power other than to write resolutions that they can’t enforce, they could ping China on this.

Seeing as how one of their functions is to promote health and socio-economic stability throughout the world, and seeing as how China is a permanent member, the UN should sit them down and ask them what the hell their problem is.

But I’ve always said the UN is the equivalent of Queen Elizabeth.

]]> By: Carole http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/comment-page-4/#comment-34059 Carole Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:16:30 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/19/pet-food-recall-blue-buffalo-pulls-a-food/#comment-34059 The US just needs to take a stance with China and cut off all grain imports, etc. I know they are not willing to entertain this because we need their stuff, but they could at least tell China that is their plan. The US just needs to take a stance with China and cut off all grain imports, etc. I know they are not willing to entertain this because we need their stuff, but they could at least tell China that is their plan.

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