Pet-food recall: FDA food safety changes added to funding bill
By Gina Spadafori
May 2, 2007
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Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) food safety amendment to a proposed FDA funding bill, about which he spoke stirringly yesterday, passed unanimously in the Senate today. Don’t get too happy, though; the amendment won’t go into effect unless Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Sen. Mike Enzi’s (R-Nev) FDA funding bill is approved.
Also, the amendment doesn’t give the FDA mandatory recall authority. Currently, the FDA can only “suggest” recalls to food companies. Compliance is entirely voluntary. Still, there’s some good stuff there. From Marketwatch’s Greg Presto:
Senators voted unanimously on Wednesday to include a food safety measure as part of a Food and Drug Administration funding bill that would impose uniform standards for pet food and fines for food companies that fail to report product problems.
The amendment, proposed by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is almost identical to a stand-alone food safety law he introduced earlier Wednesday. Both would tighten regulations on imported food and increase labeling responsibilities for pet food companies. The amendment also would create a single scientific system for states to determine which food should be recalled, a process now handled differently in each state, and impose financial penalties on companies that do not report problems within two days.
[...]
The amendment will only become law if the FDA funding bill, written by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Mike Enzi, R-Nev., is approved.
[...]
Durbin’s amendment does not include a provision in the standalone bill that would give the FDA mandatory recall authority in the case of a food-borne illness outbreak. Presently, the agency may only suggest recalls to food companies so they might voluntarily comply.
Update: Andrew Bridges’ version for the Associated Press, with more details:
WASHINGTON — Responding to the massive recall of cat and dog food, the Senate voted Wednesday in favor of stricter production and labeling standards so people have more information about what they are feeding their pets.
The 94-0 vote was on an amendment by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to broader legislation related to the Food and Drug Administration.
The amendment also called on the government to create a pet version of the system that now tracks food contamination and outbreaks of illness and death in people. The lack of such a system for pets became apparent in the recent recall of more than 100 brands of dog and cat food made with contaminated ingredients imported from China.
The FDA has confirmed the deaths of 16 pets that had eaten the contaminated food. The agency said, however, that pet owners have reported the deaths of about 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs. It was not known how many of those were linked to the recalled pet food.
The amendment would require the FDA to establish a registry to collect information on cases of suspected food contamination to improve surveillance and increase public awareness of potential problems with the food supply. Companies would face fines if they failed to report cases of suspected contamination for inclusion in the early warning system.
“Today it was your cat or dog, tomorrow it could be someone in your family you love,” Durbin said in explaining the need to strengthen the food safety system.
The amendment was adapted from legislation introduced Tuesday in both the Senate and House. The amendment did not include a proposal, contained in the original bill, that would give the FDA the authority to mandate recalls of contaminated or dangerous food. Durbin said that provision would be taken up later.
Here’s a link to more information.
Yet another update: The Humane Society of the United States was almost as quick on this news as we were. Here’s their news release.
And while we’re on the topic of the FDA, Christie spends some time breaking down yesterday’s non-answer answers from the agency to the news media on her personal blog, Dogged.
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Washington Post, DC - 50 minutes ago
U.S. investigators have arrived in China, officials said, but inspections of production facilities there have been hampered by the start yesterday of a week-long national vacation.
“Essentially, all the officials are on holiday,” said Walter Batts, part of the FDA’s China team, adding that one Chinese official had stayed behind to help.
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
How convenient eh?
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 3:45 pm
How stupid is our government? They knew they’d be on holiday. Why on earth did they accept an invitation knowing they’d be hampered? Was that the “polite” thing to do—-smile and nod heads “yes” —- how ridiculous.
Comment by Nadine Long — May 2, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
Ya know. It’s a good thing scientists found that new planet with running water. Just in time, I believe.
Comment by Nadine Long — May 2, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
Well, they’ll just have to wait for vacation to be over. Sure hope they took a sack lunch.
Comment by schnauzer — May 2, 2007 @ 4:03 pm
Christie’s analysis of the FDA’s non-answers to reporters’ questions at Tuesday’s press conference is brilliant. (See link in Gina’s intro at the top of this thread.)
I sent it to Brian Lehrer, who is an opinion maker with a show at 9 a.m. on WNYC public radio in New York City. He had a single guest on today to cover the pet food-human food issues who said the FDA is much more transparent today than in the past. The guest was Dr. Marion Nestle from NYU’s Nutrition Dept., and she was a mess. I asked Lehrer to plan a program on the FDA’s role in all this with more informed guests, such as Senator Durbin, Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, etc.
Comment by Maureen — May 2, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
Comment by Maureen — May 2, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
Well if there wasn’t opposing voices we’d all be mindless zombies shoveling toxic poisons into mouths.
Oh thats right, we are. I forgot.
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Or we were anyway. Never mind.
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
“President Bush may VETO the entire bill if this amendment passes, which is expected. That is because Bush is in bed with the big pharmaceuticals who don’t want any competition from Canada, Ireland, etc. (Bush made sure that seniors can’t go to Canada anymore to get cheaper drugs.)”
Good point Sue
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 4:34 pm
Schnucks brand included in expanded pet food recall St. Louis Business Journal - 5:08 PM CDT Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Schnuck Markets Inc. recalled cans of Schnucks Select brand cat and dog food Wednesday after Menu Foods of Emporia, Kan., expanded its recall.
The products may contain trace amounts of melamine in wheat gluten, the local firm said in a release.
http://tinyurl.com/yqpf8h
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
I posted this on another thread, but here it is again.
Itchmo has posted that Petsmart expanded their recall items to include 20 more items. They have listed 3 additional Nutro canned kitten foods that my cats ate. (On the 2nd Nutro recall, they only recalled the Kitten Chicken/Lamb cans). None of these 3 are listed as recalled on the Nutro website. None of them list glutens or rice protein in the ingredients.
Cat food:
MAX CAT 7910538101 1021707 MAX KITTEN CKN/OCEAN FISH CAT FOOD
NATURAL CHOICE 7910535203 5081572 CC KITTEN BEEF & CHICKEN 3 OZ
NATURAL CHOICE 7910535204 5081573 CC KITTEN TUNA & CHICKEN 3 OZ
Comment by catlover — May 2, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
Here is the complete list of 20 add’l items recalled by Petsmart.
Cat food:
MAX CAT 7910538101 1021707 MAX KITTEN CKN/OCEAN FISH CAT FOOD
NATURAL CHOICE 7910535203 5081572 CC KITTEN BEEF & CHICKEN 3 OZ
NATURAL CHOICE 7910535204 5081573 CC KITTEN TUNA & CHICKEN 3 OZ
SOPHISTACAT 73725701309 5005521 SPCL DIET SLICED CHKN IN GRAVY CAT
SOPHISTACAT 73725701311 5005519 SLICED CHICKEN IN GRAVY CAT FOOD
SOPHISTACAT 73725701312 5005517 SLICED BEEF IN GRAVY CAT FOOD
SOPHISTACAT 73725701313 5005515 SLICED TURKEY & LIVER IN GRAVY CAT
SOPHISTACAT 73725701314 5005514 SLICED OCEAN WHITEFISH IN GRAVY CAT
SOPHISTACAT 73725701315 5005513 SLICED TUNA IN SAUCE CAT FOOD
SOPHISTACAT 73725701316 5005512 SLICED CHICKEN & SALMON IN GRAVY CA
SOPHISTACAT 73725701327 5005505 SLICED CHICKEN IN GRAVY CAT FOOD
SOPHISTACAT 73725701328 5005506 SLICED BEEF IN GRAVY CAT FOOD
SOPHISTACAT 73725741106 5087850 FLAKED WITH TUNA & EGG CAT FOOD 5.5 OZ
SOPHISTACAT 73725741107 5087851 FLAKED WITH TUNA CAT FOOD 5.5 OZ
Dog Food:
AUTHORITY 73725712044 5005674 CHICKEN & RICE CUTS IN GRAVY LITE
AUTHORITY 73725736971 5052544 ADULT AUTHORITY LAMB/RICE/GRAVY
AWARD 73725700431 1211942 SLICED BEEF IN GRAVY DOG FOOD
AWARD 73725700432 1211943 SLICED CHICKEN IN GRAVY DOG FOOD
AWARD 73725700502 5002461 CHICKEN CASSEROLE DOG FOOD
AWARD 73725700504 5002459 BEEF CASSEROLE DOG FOOD
Comment by catlover — May 2, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
Ok, Petsmart withdrew items 5/1, Schnucks announced:
“Schnuck Markets Inc. recalled cans of Schnucks Select brand cat and dog food Wednesday after Menu Foods of Emporia, Kan., expanded its recall.
The products may contain trace amounts of melamine in wheat gluten, the local firm said in a release.”
(this is dated 4/30 in the St Louis bizjournal)
http://tinyurl.com/yqpf8h
Is there another recall expansion or is this a catch-up? Did they mean Menu Foods or ANI? I know Menu makes Sophisticat for Petsmart, tho.
Ann H.
Comment by Ann H — May 2, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
It is not clear to me if this is an expanded recall, or if Petsmart has decided to just recall more items included by these companies (on their own?).
Comment by catlover — May 2, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
Comment by catlover — May 2, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
According to Itchmo, it’s an expansion.
Comment by Ally — May 2, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
Welcome to Hell
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
I can’t believe my poor cats ate so much of this crap. It’s a miracle they are OK.
Comment by catlover — May 2, 2007 @ 4:59 pm
Thank you Cheap Labor Global Corporations.
Swell Job You’ve Done holding up your end of the deal.
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Have you looked at Itchmo again? The recall is a lot bigger than Schnucks
Comment by shelly — May 2, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Just checked itchmo. It covers entirely new varieties I think—Menu claims cross contamination.
Comment by Lisa C — May 2, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
This is out of control. I’m getting angry.
BREAKING NEWS: Menu Foods Recall Expands Dramatically to Include New Wheat Gluten
This recall expansion covers dozens of new brands and foods.
See full list after the jump.
http://tinyurl.com/222f9u
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Menu Foods has the recall posted.
http://www.menufoods.com/recal.....022007.htm
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
Comment by Kim — May 2, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Is this never going to end?
Bueller?
Comment by Ally — May 2, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
“Menu Foods has previously recalled wet cat and dog food produced with adulterated wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. Menu Foods is now expanding the recall to include cuts and gravy and select other products which do not include ChemNutra wheat gluten but which were manufactured at any of Menu Foods’ plants during the period that ChemNutra wheat gluten was used at that plant, to the extent they have not already been subject to a recall, due to the possibility of cross-contamination. Menu Foods has received a report from a customer and has received study results, both of which indicate cross-contamination”
Comment by shelly — May 2, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
TORONTO, ONTARIO—(May 2, 2007) - Menu Foods
Attention Business/Financial Editors
Menu Foods has previously recalled wet cat and dog food produced with adulterated wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. Menu Foods is now expanding the recall to include cuts and gravy and select other products which do not include ChemNutra wheat gluten but which were manufactured at any of Menu Foods’ plants during the period that ChemNutra wheat gluten was used at that plant, to the extent they have not already been subject to a recall, due to the possibility of cross-contamination. Menu Foods has received a report from a customer and has received study results, both of which indicate cross-contamination.
http://tinyurl.com/ynllk6
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
DURING THE PERIOD THAT CHEMNUTRA WHEAT GLUTEN WAS USED!!!!!! That means that all this food was produced, what, more than a month ago, at least!!! And they’re just recalling it now. How is this ok??
Comment by Lisa C — May 2, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
I want to see these BASTARDS GO TO PRISON!!!
Thanks for letting me VENT
Comment by Steve — May 2, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
What was the name of that company that began with a “W” that stated we shouldn’t be concerned w/ companies just because they do business w/ Menu? The one that had that classic page. What was it’s name?
Comment by shelly — May 2, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
Wysong??
Comment by Lisa C — May 2, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
Looks like Mr. ChemNutra was correct when he charged last week that Menu’s wheat gluten stock was not exclusively from ChemNutra. My dog loves home cooked food.
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 2, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Menu’s doors need to be padlocked.
Comment by elizabeth R. — May 2, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Elizabeth R.—You could be right. Maybe it wasn’t cross contamination. Maybe it was another tainted source…
Comment by Lisa C — May 2, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
I realize it’s petty, but I keep emailing Wysong things like the link to channel 4 news clip that was on yesterday. Think I will send them the newest recall. Has anyone checked to see if the recall page is still under construction? Maybe the prozac has kicked in. Honestly though, prozac is indicated in depression only. I think those guys are in severe need of Haldol, for full blown pyschosis.
Comment by Joyce — May 2, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
So much for the cleaning between changes of ingredients & brands..
Lock Em up. Find some dang violation and lock their doors. Enough is enough.
If they suspected Chem Nutra and stopped using them because they “suspected something was wrong” - the bloody fools should have cleaned the machines!!!!!
Ann H.
Comment by Ann H — May 2, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.
Did they once again say they wouldn’t be having any more recalls. More to come, they are still testing, open investigation?
Geese go cook dinner, watch some news and refreshed the Durbin page a couple times. While all this is going on here. Guess Menu figure it would not be as shocking after the mela-chicken/pork/turkey are in the news.
Comment by Maudigan — May 2, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Does anyone else believe that pets have been dying for a long time from this toxic junk pet food? The reason it wasn’t noticed is because the cat and dog deaths had never been surveyed until Pet Connection began the effort to count them! What rings in my memory was a comment early on, maybe March, from some High Muckymuck poopooing the idea of an enormity of deaths, and that the current number didn’t seem to be out of line with the norm. Think about it! Last summer at least a dozen of my friends’ pets died or became deathly ill without any reason, and I thought it odd then.
Comment by Nadine Long — May 2, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
Emailed it to them. My dog loves homecooked food too, but god that fish oil is evil smelling. The cats are another issue, just switched to felidae, we will see how that goes. Dry only, adding some home cooked meat for treat.
Comment by Joyce — May 2, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
Joyce,I like salmon, but the salmon oil from the capsules I’ve been cutting open and dribbling on the cats’ food is not exactly the scent I want announcing my arrival. Seems to help to rub a cut lemon over my hands before washing them. In bleach. JUST KIDDING ABOUT THE BLEACH!
Nadine, yes, I completely believe that pets have been sickened and killed by this problem over a much larger time frame than originally indicated by the talking heads. My kitty Maizie had to be put down on December 2nd due to renal failure. At the time we all just thought it was old age (she had just turned 17). But now I don’t think so. She never ate any of the recalled brands, but she loved the “gravy” style wet foods, and ate a ton of Friskie’s sliced in gravy varieties. The timing is just too suspicious. She went downhill very rapidly over the course of about a month. Also one of my co-workers had a cat die of sudden acute renal failure just prior to my cat’s death. Doesn’t prove anything, but it doesn’t look too good either.
Comment by mountainkimmie — May 2, 2007 @ 6:07 pm
Nadine,
I have been the proud pet parent of 15 cats over the past 25 years, up to 9 cats at a time and currently at 3. I have rescued 40+ ferals that were either tamed and adopted or sent to a “cat farm” in Oregon. I am NOT a nutritionist or a vet, but have lived a lifelong experience of taking care of them. I have personally witnessed cats getting sick on their food for many years now and absolutely don’t believe this is a recent problem we’re experiencing.
I have always fed my crew a variety of foods and flavors, just in case there’s a bad batch in that they aren’t entirely dependent on it. I have had cats eat, throw up, get diarhrea, elevated respiratory rate, etc and as soon as the food passes through they are back to normal after a few hours. I have routinely said over the years, well there’s another bad can/bag of cat food. I would immediately throw away any of the same type of food to avoid the same problem.
Of course our cat food isn’t safe, there’s not enough regulation by the government or the FDA. Up until now, because it was impossible to, I didn’t realize our dependancy on ingredients and foodstuffs from China/Asia. Why our pet food manufacturers are going to other countries for products is only for increased profits and not for the well being of our pets. They know they can slide stuff in on us and not have it exposed through regulations. I don’t think our cat food was safe, is safe or will be safe. Period. I am trying to find as many “work arounds” as I possibly can with that thought in mind.
Everyone needs to stay angry and not forget what has happened here; keep putting the pressure on the manufacturers (through reducing our purchases of their foods) to embark on their own safety programs and compliance and not rely on the government.
Comment by Nabiya — May 2, 2007 @ 6:41 pm
Mountainkimmie -
I’m sorry about Maizie. It more than likely was the food.
Nabiya -
I believe everyone here (and other weblogs as well) are incensed enough to not give up. For the time, I am home cooking for our cat and she is loving it. We had to put our dog down in September from renal failure. It was horrible.
Comment by Nadine Long — May 2, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Before we all hail Senator Durbin Democratic Whip — he is the one who at least speaks up — However we still don’t see the FDA to be required to make mandatory recalls.
Further we have some other food related questions not answered related to food safety for humans and pets.
So I am giving Senator Durbin now not a full thumbs up but a lateral thumb.
Keep going Senator Durbin. Please take on Monsanto (you know why) and keep up the food safety battle if you can. You may not be able to take on the global monopoly food giants. But at least what you have done for our pets a good first step. Now our pets need same human food to eat because we can’t trust any pet company’s food.
Comment by Pat — May 3, 2007 @ 7:19 am
Rest easy everyone!
Local Veterinarian Says ‘Pet Food Scare Is Over’ - News - MSNBC.comA national pet food recall sent shock waves to dog and cat lovers alike. But according to a South Florida veterinarian, pet owners can now relax.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17963760/
- 47k - May 2, 2007
Comment by Pat — May 3, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
I was just reading on the AVMA website-today-
cynauric acid and melamine make insoluble urine crystals when combined. I don’t think anything has to be contaminated. These 2 chemcicals aren’t as dangerous alsone as they are together. Urine crystals that cannot be dissolved lead to renal failure and death.
It’s going to be everywhere these 2 chemicals are in food.
Comment by Kathi Gibson — May 3, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
New Yahoo News article has FDA admitting to complaints of 8,500 dead pets. Still lists only 16 as confirmed.
MENU FOODS EXECUTIVES SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY AND FRAUD.
FDA NEEDS A SERIOUS OVERHAUL AND NOT BY THE PEOPLE MANAGING THE FDA NOW.
Comment by Jeanette/Ohio — May 3, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
comment by Pat - Article - “Pet Food Scare is Over.”
How much did that vet get paid for doing that piece. YIIIIKES!!!
Just read the label? Check for the AAFCO??
She must get her recall lists via snail-mail. 8)
Comment by Kathi — May 4, 2007 @ 5:36 am