Pet-food recall: The Wall Street Journal on the paper trail
By Gina Spadafori
May 4, 2007
- If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes information on recalled foods).
- If you want to report a sick or deceased pet, click here.
The Wall Street Journal heads down the same paper trail that Itchmo has been on:
A stamped invoice for wheat gluten adds to evidence linking two Chinese companies to a widening scandal over contaminated pet food.
The invoice was apparently sent by Chinese trading company, Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts & Crafts Import Export Co., and names the manufacturer of the product as Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. The wheat gluten was purchased by Las Vegas-based pet food supplier ChemNutra, which has posted a copy of the invoice, along with two other documents, on a Web site run by a public relations firm working for ChemNutra.
In late March, the Food and Drug Administration said it had traced the source of the contaminated pet food to Xuzhou Anying, a Chinese company in Jiangsu province. The FDA later pointed to a second Chinese company, called Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co., as another source of tainted ingredients.The contamination has led to a massive recall of pet food and reports to the FDA of the deaths of more than 4,000 cats and dogs. It’s still unclear how exactly the contaminant, a chemical called melamine that is normally used in plastics, killed the pets.
This link will be good only for a few days, since the WSJ is a subscription site. (As a subscriber, I can read the site and send short-term links to non-subscribers.) Click in, and you’ll find links to the documents. Good stuff.
Update: The New York Times:
SHANGHAI, May 4 — Responding to the sweeping recalls of pet food in the United States and to worries about contamination in its own food supply, China said today that it has begun nationwide inspections to determine whether wheat gluten is being contaminated with chemicals, according to the state-controlled Xinhua News Agency.
A spokesman for the main export and import inspection agency, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said the inspections began on Monday. Regulators are testing for a chemical sometimes used as a rat poison, as well as for melamine, an industrial chemical that is believed to have killed or sickened thousands of pets in the United States and South Africa.
The report, which came during the country’s weeklong May holiday period, is the latest sign that China is beginning to cooperate with American investigators and is stepping up its efforts to determine what caused the problems with the pet food that was recalled in the United States.
The rest is here. Does seem like we’re moving pretty consistently to references to “thousands” of dead pets. And it only took seven weeks to get there! (Seven weeks today, in fact.)
Oh, and I keep forgetting: Another recall.
Technical update: Many, many thanks to reader Gary, who pointed us to a WordPress widget that fixes the long URL problem. Black Dog has now installed it, so it should be no problem any longer. Yay!
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Does anyone know anything about Fancy Feast? I see it is listed on thepetfoodlist.com as not being recalled but I just called Nestle Purina and found out that it is canned by Menu Foods.
Comment by Lois C. — May 4, 2007 @ 10:29 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05.....ref=slogin
China now testing foods for chemicals. I wonder how serious this is.
Comment by Patty L — May 4, 2007 @ 10:36 am
Wow, if Fancy Feast is made by Menu Foods, I haven’t heard that anywhere! Can anyone confirm this?
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 10:37 am
I called one number located on the Fancy Feast website and spoke to a rep there. He wouldn’t answer my question - kept hemming and hawing - finally he gave me another number to call which was an 800 number at Nestle. I spoke to a rep there who kept answering my question which was where was Fancy Feast canned by saying that Fancy Feast was not involved in the Menu Foods recall. I said that wasn’t what I asked - I asked my question again and she said wait a minute I will have to ask someone. She came back and said yes, that it was canned at Menu Foods.
Comment by Lois C. — May 4, 2007 @ 10:41 am
Looks like this place
http://www.accutracetesting.com/poison_testing.php
is doing some testing for posters on itchmo.
If the CIA or the PFI or Mighty Mouse do not have it become a smoking hole in the ground before Monday, and I would not put it past them, it might be a good resource.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Fancy Feast claims to be made in U.S.A.
but? with what? ingredients look like crap.
(and i quote,right from can)
meat by-products, wheat gluten,corn-starch,natural-and artifical flavors,soy flour,
ferrous sulfate,(rust)menadione sodium bisulfate
basicly sounds nasty?
it’s awful addictive.. we call it “kitty smack”
(heroin).
once your cat gets hooked it’s a slow death..
avoid this garbage.
their’s any number of pet products that are
safer.
Comment by johnypaycut — May 4, 2007 @ 10:51 am
My cats are still howling for their fancy feast, which I stopped because of the wheat gluten. I didn”t know it was made by Menu. I would be amazed if it wasn’t full of chinese melamine laced gluten. Maybe they haven’t tested it yet.
Comment by Joyce — May 4, 2007 @ 10:55 am
“This link will be good only for a few days, since the WSJ is a subscription site.”
With the link that Gina provided, I wasn’t able to get the full story. But this other link below works for me, and I’m not even a subscriber. Now…I’m going to read the documents from the WSJ. I hope you all can too.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....lenews_wsj
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 10:57 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Yip. CIA. Figures
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 10:58 am
I agree with everything johnyp says about Fancy Feast. It is basically junk food for cats. The “kitty smack” term is very accurate, based on my experience. Must be those artificial flavors. There have also been quite a few comments on this blog and others about cats getting sick on FF (especially the newer green cans) and about alteration in appearance of FF foods over the past year or so. Also FF green cans were on special promotional sales up until 3-4 weeks ago in my area, which is becoming my best indicator for foods the manufacturer knows something is wrong about.
Anecdotal evidence only of course, but that’s where this whole thing started, folks—people reporting their own observations and experience.
Comment by Debra — May 4, 2007 @ 11:02 am
Hmmmmm……………..
Comments about Purina…why the limited recalls.
Comments about the 8% increase in the cost of milk.
(thinking)
Land O’Lakes - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_O%27Lakes
Owns Purina Mills LLC-
http://tinyurl.com/2meylx
Land O’Lakes is also a dairy maker:
“is a national agricultural marketing cooperative based in Arden Hills, Minnesota, focusing on the dairy industry. It is owned by 7,000 producers and 1,300 local cooperatives, who are each members. The company had annual sales over US$6 billion in 2003 and directly employs over 6,000 workers. They are one of the largest producers of butter and cheese in the country.”
Using milk to make up lost cost maybe?
See all the buys and sells within Purina? What’s up with the Swiss? Why is it so hard to get Beneful off the shelves….
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:02 am
another frigging typo - kinda -
Lost cost should be lost revenue
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:04 am
Have you ever tried to read the ingredient listing on the back of a Fancy Feast can? They couldn’t get the print any smaller. I agree with comments above. I suspected all along that they were manufactured at Menu Foods. No more for my cats. That’s it!
Comment by Lois C. — May 4, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 10:57 am
Nope, not getting full article. Is it juicy enough to put on the blog?
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Dammit, I didn’t know Fancy Feast was made by Menu. I thought we were aware of all the companies Menu made food for? Dammit a second time! I wonder if they make Friskies, too?
Either way there is a thread over at Itchmo, that I started. http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=200.0 (I am big fat momma cat, over there.) It has been read over 500 times; I’ve been wondering if Purina exec’s are reading it?
You can read about how great my whole gang is doing now that I took them off that poor food. Actually there are even better, now, another week later. I wrote about how sick my Junior was, after eating their non-recalled, but most likely tainted, food. How his symptoms were exactly like those who did eat recalled foods…
Dammit, dammit, dammit! Who else does Menu make food for? And how did Fancy Feast get left out of the recall??
It is like I’ve been trying to say all along, though. That Nestle-Purina is a huge multi-national corporation and does not have to listen to the FDA any more than the spinach and peanut butter guys did. The FDA knew about them but could not force a mandatory recall.
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Steve,
With all that has come out during this fiasco about the links to people, the FDA appointed officials, income funds and lying to the Senator and getting away with it , I am just waiting for the mailman who hands me a package to leap on my neck like a rabid raccoon while injecting me with memory erasing melamine.
I can only hope I get the “special edition pink bag melamine”!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
Most Americans are happy with Pet Food
Thursday, July 14, 2005
A new study commissioned by Pet Food Institute, shows that 97% of consumers surveyed responded that the pet food they feed their pets is safe, citing trusted brand names, good nutrition and a long track record of safety as the primary reasons for that confidence.
The study also revealed that 92% of consumers are satisfied with the information presented on pet food labels and packaging, describing them as “easy to understand”, “helpful” and “complete”, as their top three reasons for their satisfaction.
PFI Executive Director Duane Ekedahl commented about the results, “We are excited to confirm that pet owners in the United States have such a high level of confidence in the food they feed their dogs and cats. This level of satisfaction was earned through the industry’s commitment to making safe and nutritious products that help keep pet dogs and cats happy and healthy throughout their lives.”
Now for my comments. I’m not convinced this study is meaningful. Studies can be crafted in ways to guarantee desired results.
For example, this study said that 97% of pet owners are satisfied with the safety and nutrition of the pet food they buy. Think about that carefully. Isn’t this obvious? Every pet owner is going to buy food they believe is safe and nutritious for their pet. Why would they serve anything else? Whether they are serving kibble, canned food, natural foods, or the BARF diet, ALL pet owners have full confidence in the food they serve to their pets.
What’s interesting is that other 3% that’s serving food they have little to no confidence in.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
This is weird. The link to the WSJ story that I had thought would correct the problem now doesn’t bring up the whole story either.
BUT when I google the story it opens completely. HUH?! I guess this will test out the newly inserted WordPress Widget at the same time. (grin)
http://news.google.com/news?hl.....earch+News
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Comment by johnypaycut — May 4, 2007 @ 10:51 am
“Made in USA” doesn’t mean didly. All the parts come from Venus, Pluto and other far away places, spike with alien poo. Then they ship the goo to the USA, knowing 99% will get through, and the USA smacks it all together.
= Made in the USA
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:12 am
That was a post I found. The now for my comments are not mine but were from the bloggers original post.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:14 am
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Don’t worry. The CIA will look into it for us.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Mike -
Sweet - I can see it.
Tell me about this cool tool you used
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Does this invoice being posted by ChemNutro absolve them from the melamine stain? I did find it difficult to believe that chemists would poison our pet food. But how products could be imported and sold without visual inspection, for purity or even to check that the shipment is in fact Wheat Gluten, is beyond me. But people ship illegal drugs into this country and get away with it, so why not poisoned glutens I suppose.
Comment by Linda — May 4, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
I am just waiting for the mailman who hands me a package to leap on my neck like a rabid raccoon while injecting me with memory erasing melamine.
*perks up*
Yanno…….for some reason I haven’t been able to explain, the film Gattaca keeps surfacing in my head bone. E. - I think you may have just jogged my oddly wired synapses…..genetically altered…..uniformity without questions……the mind boggles at the possiblities.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
I am just waiting for the mailman who hands me a package to leap on my neck like a rabid raccoon while injecting me with memory erasing melamine.
*perks up*
Yanno…….for some reason I haven’t been able to explain, the film Gattaca keeps surfacing in my head bone. E. - I think you may have just jogged my oddly wired synapses…..genetically engineered…..uniformity without questions……the mind boggles at the possiblities.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:17 am
egads.
my humblest apologies for the double post.
I did mention my synapses are wired a bit oddly right now.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Ally, Ally, they got you TOO?
Next thing you know Gina will be letting Pet Food porno clog the blog and they will have us all.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Gina, Christie?
Did I break the blog?
sorry-sorry-I am so sorry if I did?
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
I’m scanning our block for men in suits and shades sitting in cars. They’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Betty the neighbor will go out and say,
“who the hell are you. Whats your business here?!”
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Ally -
I had similar thoughts about the mind control. Why in the heck are they putting human hormones in crops? they proved in their own research it has issues. it’s not good for our health and it does, well, ‘control your mind’ since it makes your brain smaller and stuff.
Re: the word “stuff”. Whomever created the word “stuff” I hope received a medal. What a fantastic, all inclusive, simple, easily understood, word.
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:10 am
“A new study commissioned by Pet Food Institute…”
Dandy. Along the lines of:
New poll conducted by ‘Foxes of America’ finds 99.9% of hen houses do not require guarding…
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Anybody else reading in italics? I didn’t make my post in italics but I can see that it is.
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Don’t like it.
Would rather our signature be in italics, post be normal. hard to read
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Steve, Good point, Betty will scare em back into hunting terrorists, bloggers only LOOK like easy prey, once Betty has clacked her dentures at you going to Iraq starts being the smart career move.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:27 am
Ally broke the blog! Ally broke the blog! ; )
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Steve-
Any recommendations besides Com’s and Gov’s for research?
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:29 am
DON”T LIKE THE ITALICS - Put Signatures in ITALICS please!!!! Post in normal print! too hard to read!
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Google Names
Everything else comes together on it’s own.
;-) Wink.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:27 am
LOL I’ll just go out and say “Hi you guys want some coffee?”
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Shelly - re: the italics. that’s why I posted above I think I broke the blog. I must not have closed a tag or something.
Mea culpa.
me looks for very large rock to hide under…
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:31 am
slt I think Gina might be making the blog easier to read - trying to break the posts up by the change in font style between posts. just a guess. would rather it in reverse-post in normal, sig in italic
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Shelly - calm down! Please?
It will get fixed (I hope).
I feel bad enough as it is.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:32 am
ally - what do you mean - not closed a tag. I don’t want to break it like you did. :)
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 11:33 am
Shelly - I don’t think this is Gina’s doing.
Read my post above your last one? About the tags?
*still looking for large rock to hide under*
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:33 am
A coding tag, which I should not use again.
Bad Ally. Really bad.
*slaps wrist HARD*
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:34 am
If the CIA and the FDA and the PFI do not put out a hit us all, my money is on the black dog guys to do it. Just saying we all have a lot to be thankful for Balck Dog, please don’t subject us to your mighty italics!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Oh. My. God. E. —
I was just thinking the Black Dog helicopters were gonna show up on my front lawn any sec…..
Who ARE you really, E.?
You’re reading my thoughts now…=:-O
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:36 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Pet food porno? Gina?
*chair fall*
I am so dead right now, aren’t I?
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Re: Italics. Note to Black Dog. Sent.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 4, 2007 @ 11:41 am
Now my cover is blown, shucky darn!
I am… wait for it.. someone who cannot type worth a damn while spitting coffee on my keyboard due to panty wetting laughter.
It appears that my powers are greatly increased by the lack of Kryptonite on this planet, say, that IS good news!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Someone (or maybe someoneS) suggested that we come up with a list of foods produced by Menu. I think that’s a good idea, especially given that we now know there is risk of ‘cross-contamination’. Does any such list exist that anyone knows of? If not, where would be a good place to start one?
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:34 am
I’ve updated my will, contacted the attorneys, family members in high places, (and I mean way up there) so if I go MIA they know where to start asking questions.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Ichmo forums is where info is being organized and placed in sections.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Try here
http://tinyurl.com/278als
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:50 am
OK call me paranoid but I REALLY think that what everyone is thinking is “cross-contamination” is possibly a different toxin that hasnt been identified yet….Ive always thought that there was more going on than what they reported to be found…..
Comment by Sandi K — May 4, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Great Tip E. Hamilton!!
http://www.accutracetesting.com/poison_testing.php
I called them for more info. Talked to a very nice lady named Terry, think she runs the place over there. Told her to please update web site to include what we need to do. Said she was making a list for there Webmaster right now.
This is what she said:
They can test Wet or Dry food and Urine, Cats or Dogs.
They have three tests that they can run:
1) unknown substances plus melamine,
2) unknowns, melamine, and aminopterin, amilorine, amiloride (the break-down product of melamine)
3) Unknowns and Aflatoxins
They wet food needs to be unopened to prevent further contamination as the weather is warming up. For dry foods they need about a cup in a sealed bag. If you have more than one type of dry to check, send each in a separate labeled bag, they will make a mix, check that and if any thing comes up then they can test each one separately. This is to save us money if nothing shows and to save time if something does show.
This is great for those worried about non-recalled foods (such as Purina Friskies and Fancy Feast).
But also good to confirm that foods we think may be safe actually are safe.
She wants to be sure of her foods and thinks everyone else would be equally concerned.
Said she only wishes she offered this sooner, I told her no body realized the magnitude of this at the beginning.
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 11:54 am
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Your link takes me to the CIA website. Ya think they want to host a list of foods produced by Menu, hehe
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:55 am
Ally, Ally, do not slap wrist, bad form, use clicker, good Ally, good Ally, treats for Ally because she remembered to tidy up, treats . . . Ally where are you going, the treats do not repeat do not contain melamine.
Comment by Nancy Nielsen — May 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 11:54 am
Did she say what they charge for these tests?
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
test
Comment by m.linville — May 4, 2007 @ 11:57 am
m.linville = Black Dog! Hi, Black Dog!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 4, 2007 @ 11:59 am
Shame those labs the FDA has, the ones that were paid for by tax dollars, can’t be trusted, isn’t it?
Paging Senator Durbin!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 11:59 am
So long, italics! Turns out, it was an extra <i> in someone’s comment. The url plugin is a-ok!
Comment by m.linville — May 4, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
m.linville we are NOT worthy,
E. bows repeatedly in the direction of monitor
ALL HAIL the BLACK DOG.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
I agree! All Hail the Black Dog!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 4, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Black Dog - you guys ROCK! Thanks so much for all your hard work the past 7 weeks!
Comment by Kim — May 4, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Oh gawd. m. linville = Black Dog? They’re here?
Is it too late to change my screen name?
“Doofus” is looking pretty good right now.
And E., Steve & Nancy?
Re: that coffee snorting all over monitor syndrome E. mentioned above? I think we should all consider taking out stock in Depends™. Y’all are just killing me today.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Never heard of Fancy Feast being made by Menu. Kitt smack is only that way because it ranks high in pal.
Comment by Tim — May 4, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Lois - thank you so much for posting the Fancy Feast information. Many of us have been waiting for that particular shoe to drop… now we know what direction to look in.
So far the Menu Foods South Dakota plant where Natura Pet is made (and I think Wellness) has escaped recalls. Maybe that’s where they make Fancy Feast? Anyone have any clues?
Comment by Kim — May 4, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Hailing!!! Copy that!
Oh how I am HAILING the Black Dog!
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Comment by slt — May 4, 2007 @ 11:55 am
Never mind. Were treading into uncharted territory enough as it is.
Comment by Steve — May 4, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
No worries. The blog will clean that stuff up from now on.
Comment by m.linville — May 4, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
This was posted on Bellsouth’s news as the top news story but was on there about 5 minutes.
Not sure how to post the link so here is a copy.
World News
U.S.: Pet Food Ingredient Mislabeled
Published: 5/4/07, 1:25 PM EDT
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
SHANGHAI, China (AP) - The exporter of a contaminated pet food ingredient blamed for the deaths of dogs and cats in the United States may have avoided Chinese export inspections by labeling it a nonfood product, a U.S. government report says.
The company, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co., was not the original producer of the tainted wheat gluten, but may have purchased it from up to 25 different suppliers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.
The identities of those suppliers remain a mystery and all calls to listed numbers for Xuzhou Anying on Friday rang unanswered. Investigators are also looking into the origins of a second contaminated food additive imported from China, rice protein concentrate.
The New York Times reported that Xuzhou Anying’s manager, Mao Lijun, had been detained by Chinese authorities, although the paper gave no details about possible charges against him.
Calls to police and government offices in the city of Xuzhou, in eastern China’s Jiangsu where the company is based, rang unanswered on Friday, which was a public holiday.
The scandal concerns the use of the mildly toxic chemical melamine as an additive to animal feed, a practice believed to be common in China, where scandals over contaminated or unsafe food are routine.
Adding the chemical to food is illegal under American law, and while no laws govern the use of melamine in China, the government last week said it was banning its application in food products.
A wave of animal deaths in the U.S. in March was blamed on melamine contamination, prompting one of the biggest recalls of pet food in American history - more than 100 brands. The recall has since been expanded to include pet food products in Canada and Europe.
The FDA on Thursday said U.S. government inspectors are checking food makers who use protein concentrates to ensure none of their products were contaminated with melamine.
There is no evidence that any of the two contaminated batches of wheat gluten and rice protein from China ended up as an ingredient in human food, “but it’s prudent to look,” said David Acheson, assistant FDA commissioner for food protection.
Although it has no nutritional value, melamine is high in nitrogen, making wheat gluten and other vegetable products to which it is added appear to have more protein. That allows it to be sold at a premium to farmers and those who use wheat gluten and other additives to make pet food.
The chemical, normally used to make plastics and fertilizers, is not considered a direct health risk to humans. However, scientists say they have too little data to assess how it might react with other chemicals, raising concerns about its introduction into the human food chain through the consumption of meat from animals raised on melamine-spiked feed.
“According to the Chinese government, Xuzhou Anying did not declare the contaminated wheat gluten it shipped to the United States as a raw material for feed or food,” the U.S. FDA report said.
“Rather, according to the Chinese government, it was declared to them as nonfood product, meaning that it was not subject to mandatory inspection by the Chinese government,” the report said.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement last week that the contaminated vegetable protein managed to get past customs without inspection because it had not been declared for use in pet food.
The FDA report said that as of April 26, the FDA had received reports of 1,950 deaths of cats and 2,200 deaths of dogs related to the complaint. Earlier, the administration said it had confirmed only about a dozen pet deaths due to kidney failure caused by melamine ingestion.
The outbreak has drawn wide concern in the U.S., where such pets are often considered members of the family. Bereaved pet owners have sued the firms involved, and FDA investigators have raided the offices of Menu Foods, a maker of pet food, and ChemNutra Inc., which supplied the wheat gluten, according to the companies.
FDA inspectors have been sent to China to investigate the contamination
Comment by D Jackson — May 4, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Comment by m.linville — May 4, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Gee. I wonder where that “extra ” came from?
*tugs nervously at collar & returns to clicker training with Nancy*
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
I did NOT mean those italics! I should have spaced while copying the code thing Black Dog mentioned above.
OK.
I’m done.
Really sorry folks. Truly.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Regarding Fancy Feast: I wondered all along how both Fancy Feast and Friskies could escape the big recall. We fed a lot of Fancy Feast to my kitty toward the end of her life, and tried some of the new “Elegant Medley” fancy feast varieties (the green cans) when we were trying to tempt her to eat as she was dying of renal failure last fall. Also the gravied varieties of friskies. Although nothing can be proved, the timing of my cat’s renal failure combined with her heavy consumption of FF and Friskies, and added to the increasing anecdotal reports of problems with fancy feast all paint a grim picture.
We are now attempting to switch to a raw diet. The plan is to eventually make food for them, but for now I’m using Natural Variety organic chicken raw medallions, and Primal beef and salmon nuggets supplemented with Evo dry. The beef and salmon haven’t been big hits, one cat is coming around to the chicken. Our other kitty, a recent shelter rescue who probably only ever had kibble her whole life, really doesn’t care for wet food, though she would eat fancy feast. We were trying to transition away from the commercial canned junk as fast as possible, with the idea that we might use some high-quality canned if necessary (maybe like Felidae), but the fancy feast was useful for mixing in with the raw to tempt them to try it. No more. I’m never buying that crap again, no matter how hard the cats beg, and tonight I’m throwing away (as in the garbage) any leftover cans.
Comment by mountainkimmie — May 4, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
slt, no sorry I didn’t get that, too excited to get the word out.
I can call again, you want me to call back?? The 800 number is on their site, you can call if you like, or I will; just give the word!
http://www.accutracetesting.com/poison_testing.php
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
mountainkimmie, don’t put it in the trash, you don’t want to kill the ‘possums and ‘coons in your neighborhood! Put the canned stuff down the toilet, meet the trash man at the door with the dry, or burn it.
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Comment by Lois C. — May 4, 2007 @ 10:29 am
Lois, can you post the name and phone number of the person you spoke to at Purina about Fancy Feast being made by Menu? I’d like to get a second confirmation on that. If this is the case, this has been a HUGE cover up by Purina.
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
Hello, Purina;
We’re gonna test your food! We are in negotiations to test all Friskies and Fancy Feast varieties.
You wanna say something first, you’d better hurry up!
We’re gonna test all your foods, if you want to save face and your reputations (what little you have left, that is) you’d better hurry-up and fess-up!
We are going to test Beneful and Purina One, too!
We are tired of not knowing what is in our pet’s foods and we are taking matters into our own hands.
We have old cans of foods saved from before you pulled them out the back door. We know the shredded chicken is no longer available.
What do you have to say now???
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
I fed a now-dead cat Fancy Feast, but I don’t think there’s any way I can tie that to the recall. She had lymphoma, which had spread to her intestines. I was mainly feeding her Fancy Feast to get her to eat at all; I thought it was junk food (still do) but figured it was more important that she eat. If Fancy Feast ends up recalled, I really don’t think it will have shortened her life much at all. Her symptoms were pain, weight loss, and loss of appetite, BTW, and I only fed it to her after she was already sick.
I did throw out the remaining Fancy Feast, though.
Comment by Katherine — May 4, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
On May 2, SmartPak recalled all orders of LiveSmart Adult Lamb and Brown Rice. This product tested positive for presence of melamine in a test received on May 2. After their first recall of LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice, SmartPak sent all of their other dog food for testing, and Adult Lamb and Brown Rice came back with positive results. SmartPak is dry food and is made by Chenango Valley.
(b)SmartPak is saying that this is odd because this particular dog food doesn’t contain any rice protein concentrate, wheat gluten or any of the other ingredients that are on FDA’s import watch list. They are saying it may be cross-contamination. (Oh by the way, it took 48 hours for the FDA to put up the press release (/b)
Comment by Lynn — May 4, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
Would you please post a thread on this Purina testing project in the ichmo forums?
I believe several there have info of use and they can contact you on private message also, just to be safe from prying eyes.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
We’re supposed to take tainted food to the vets office so it can be incinerated or something like that. burn it.
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
I just called Purina myself, spoke to Carla at 800.778.7462. She was adamant that Fancy Feast is made within their own plants and they have NO connection to Menu Foods (except for Mighty Dog pouches, which she freely admitted are manufactured by Menu). Someone posted earlier that pet food company competitors are posting inaccurate info trying to get pet parents to stop buying their products, and this may be the case. In any regard, I am still reaching out to Lois C. and asking who she spoke to at Purina and the phone number so I can speak to that person and confirm they said Fancy Feast was made by Menu.
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Oh my gosh Ally I think you have an infection or something.
*tucks mouth under shirt*
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 12:59 pm
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
I hope this lab that I hadn’t heard of before wasn’t created or isn’t owned by Purina
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
Well here is the phone number for the menu foods plant in North Sioux City, South Dakota 605-232-2909. I suppose one of you folks could call them up and ask them if they make Fancy Feast there. I would, but I can’t make a long distance call from here…
Comment by schnauzer — May 4, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
All the really good research being done here could be of use to every single lawyer doing a class action lawsuit against Menu or companies yet to be named, maybe a list of lawyers emails should be started at itchmo too?
Help them move faster to prevent assets from vanishing like some documents.
If we have the yes of hungry lawyers on this site, along with all the other eyes, it couldn’t hurt, right?
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
Attention: Calling on Black Dog
The former problem with Internet Explorer shutting down is once again happening in this blog page. I had to use Firefox to get in.
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 1:08 pm
Just talked to people brand director in the towers, its not made by menu.
Comment by Don — May 4, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
Comment by schnauzer — May 4, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
Just called Menu Foods as suggested, spoke to Gayla, and she said NO Fancy Feast made there. If you want to call them: you’ll immediately get a voice mail recording; let it play, when you hear the “beep” dial 0 and a live operator will come on.
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
And the brand evangelist is baaack. One of them anyway.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 1:14 pm
I’m for the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.
Comment by Don — May 4, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Mike -
I’m using IE right now, no issues here.
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
For weeks I was having major problems refreshing any petconnection blogs, extremely slow especially those with numerous comments. Then a few nights ago when some of you mentioned IE6 was freezing up/shutting down, I decided to finally break down and upgrade to IE7 (been delaying this forever as I dislike change.) Ever since upgrading my pc is working great. Refresh rate is off the charts! Zippo problems!
Comment by Barb — May 4, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Gina gave us a new thread - you’re all fixed Mike
Comment by shelly — May 4, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
Help:
I think it was Sharon yesterday who asked if anyone was noticing secondary problems to the bad food.
I found out today that my dog now has blood in her urine(not RBC’s),still protein and SpG is off. Urine was free flow,1st catch. No temp. We will do cysto. coll. for culture. Is it possible that a crystal could be stuck or irritated a kidney tubule??
Anyone else noticing secondary problems??
Thanks
Katie
PS Thanks for the independent lab site, I have some food and biscuits,not recalled: but I sure would like to know…..
Comment by Katie — May 4, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Comment by shelly
See Gina’s new post. I think the extra long url I posted earlier to the Wall St Jrnl article, may have inadvertantly caused IE to crash.
Oopsie.
Comment by Mike — May 4, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
Will accutracetesting.com test human pee?
(just curious)
Comment by Gail B — May 4, 2007 @ 1:27 pm
Nabaya, what I did was check the list on thepetfoodlist.com for Fancy Feast. There was no information listed the the link is live. I clicked on it and it took me to their website. I wanted to find out if there was a number to call to find out where it was canned. On their website at the top left is a link to click for a message from the employees of Nestle Purina. I clicked on that and it took me to the message. I read the message and at the bottom of it there is an 800 phone number to call for their Office of Consumer Affairs. That is the number I called first. I spoke to a man (don’t remember the name) but when I asked him where Fancy Feast was made he didn’t know first hand. He kept telling me it was made by Purina and gave me a number. (That number is another 800 number which I left at my office as I am now at home.) I called the number before I left the office and got a woman and I asked her the same question - who canned Fancy Feast. She said that Fancy Feast was not a part of the recall. I said that wasn’t my question. Who canned Fancy Feast - is it Menu Foods? Then she said hold on a minute she would check. After about 30 seconds she came back on the phone and said yes. As I said I don’t have that number with me but I can get it on Monday. Meanwhile the first 800 number I called on the Fancy Feast website you will find there. Again, it is their office of consumer affairs at 800-218-5898.
Comment by Lois — May 4, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Here is the link to the Fancy Feast website:
http://fancyfeast.com/#title=home&page=home
Comment by Lois — May 4, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
E. Hamilton Re: post May 4, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Done:
Discuss Testing Purina’s foods here:
http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=327.0
Discuss Pet Food Testing here: http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=324.0
Discuss Purina Friskies, Fancy Feast, Beneful and Purina One, and any others here: http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=200.0
Comment by Peggy — May 4, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
I just read the ingredients for Beneful.
MMMM Yummo! The only meat is beef “tallow”, rendered fat.
Here’s the regular formula;
Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, sorbic acid (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium carbonate, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, vitamin supplements (E, A, B-12, D-3), added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, zinc sulfate, glyceryl monostearate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, copper sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.
F-4090
Comment by Lori Lee — May 4, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
I just looked at the list again. I was wrong about beef tallow being the only meat…..But what on God’s green Earth is “animal digest”?
Comment by Lori Lee — May 4, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
” Why in the heck are they putting human hormones in crops? they proved in their own research it has issues. it’s not good for our health …”,Shelly said.
Exactly.
See pharmaceutical companies(all roads lead to Rome…)rubbing hands together,whilst drooling.
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 4, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
“Animal Digest is a common ingredient used in pet foods. As defined by the AAFCO, it is produced by chemically or enzymatically treating animal tissue (such as flesh, bone, organs, etc.) from slaughterhouses and other sources, in a process akin to rendering.”
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 4, 2007 @ 2:57 pm
Re: Animal Digest
I think I’m going to be sick.
Why is that acceptable?
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
Where is Fancy Feast canned?
This is only anecdotal info I got earlier from another website, maybe Itchmo, on a Fancy Feast thread, so please take this with a grain of salt.
There is a code on the bottom of the can under the expiration date, and the 5th thru 8th digit refers to the processing plant. 1160=Jefferson,WI
1828=Thailand
I have several cans of FF Elegant Medleys put aside (YES, it is Kitty Krack for sure!!) and the Wild Salmon Florentine is from plant 1160, and the White Meat Chicken & Whipped Egg Souffle is from plant 1162 (never saw a reference to plant 1162).
Comment by catlover — May 4, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
I also saw the FF Elegant Medleys on sale for half price right after the 1st recall on 3/16, and continued to be on sale for several weeks. It was .39 a can, unheard of - it was usually .79 or .89 a can previously (3 oz can). I live in Central FL.
Comment by catlover — May 4, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Regarding the FF Elegant Medleys, I neglected to mention that my cats formerly ate it about every 5th day or so. They are not sick.
Comment by catlover — May 4, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
RE: Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
“Re: Animal Digest
I think I’m going to be sick.
Why is that acceptable?”
Because we are all too stupid to make appropriate homemade food for our pets…?
Comment by Gail B — May 4, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
Hey Fancy Feast you’re out of business! I had 2 cats totally addicted to their moist treat food for YEARS. They are currently getting Natura’s California Natural canned until I get my first shipment next Wed. of Wildkitty. They are not crazy about Natura - can’t wait to see the riot over raw.
Day 8 on raw for the Maltese - can’t believe the difference! We though at 15 yrs. she was just getting “old.” All of our fur kids have been eating the “current best commercial foods” all of their lives. What an eye opener with Nikki!
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 4, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Eartha has listed the manufacturing facilities for Purina PetCare Company over at Itchmo’s Forum:
Eartha
Reply #21 on: Today at 04:43:05 PM
Purina Friskies and Fancy Feast
http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=200.15
Comment by Mary Smith — May 4, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
Want to know what the FDA was REALLY doing while thousands of pets were getting sick and dying? Trying to figure out how to regulate the heck out massage therapy by declaring that massage oils/lotions/creams need to be regulated as medicines! Think I’m making it up? Read here: http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKE.....ld0001.pdf
Meanwhile, we’re all worried (and grieving) about our four-legged family members AND scared to death about what we’re feeding not only our beloved pets but our own families now that we know the melamine has entered the food chain in hogs and chickens.
Please, let the FDA know that they need to keep their eye on the ball here - our food supply is the most important thing. That would be the “F” in FDA! Just do their job and inspect EVERYTHING that goes into food -human AND animal - to keep us safe.
Comment by Karen F. — May 5, 2007 @ 3:25 am
The FDA, according to USAToday, uses a risk-based system. If they’ve had a problem in the past, they inspect shipments of the same more carefully. The FDA has had a “gluten” problem with China since 1998. They didn’t know to check for melamine, so they didn’t. After 9 years of problems with this product, when is the FDA going to ban the product?
Comment by Cheryl Hansen — May 5, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
RE: WSJ: “It?s still unclear how exactly the contaminant, a chemical called melamine that is normally
used in plastics, killed the pets.”
AND
NYT: “Regulators are testing for a chemical sometimes used as a rat poison, as well as for melamine,
an industrial chemical that is believed to have killed or sickened thousands of pets in the United
States and South Africa.”
Love those waffle words? These items are carefully written in such a way that they should only be
read in the context of an exact literal translation of the English language. The WSJ piece really tests
the limits. What is unclear is if there is any possible scenario which would cause a substance no
more toxic than table salt to become lethal. If they were actually engaged in honest journalism, they
would report that under no conditions has melamine ever been shown to be toxic in the quantities it
claimed to be present. In the NYT piece, the qualifier is “sometimes”. Assuming they are talking about
aminopterin, which may not be the case as worded, the “sometimes” refers to experiments conducted 30
years ago, which resulted in a patent, but never in a commercially available product for killing rats.
If they are in fact testing for aminopterin, that is certainly interesting as China has previously
stated it is not approved for use in the country as rat poison.
On the bright side, it may be an indication the FDAs effort to cover up the presense of aminopterin
is wearing thin. Considering it would be virtually impossible for aminopterin to be present in any
quantity except as an intentional act of state sponsored terrorism, I for one would like to know how
it got into the food supply, and who put it there - U.S. or them.
Comment by Don — May 5, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Comment by Gail B — May 4, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
“Because we are all too stupid to make appropriate homemade food for our pets…?”
Hi Gail. While I appreciate your point, I don’t think that applies to all of us. Many people are now venturing into home cooking for their pets, myself included. So far, I’m adding home cooked to their kibble. There’s a learning curve here and I want to be prepared should I need/decide to go for the whole enchilada.
But I still find “Animal Digest” to be nauseating.
My brain reads the words, but refuses to comprehend it as acceptable.
Comment by Ally — May 5, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Ally, I took Gail’s post as being a comment on the condescending and dismissive attitude big business and corporations are expressing when talking (down) to all of us. I didn’t read her as saying we’re REALLY too “stupid” - just that *implication* that we are.
I work in a chemistry lab and I’m intimidated, too! I think it’s possible to know TOO much - and by that, I don’t mean that I know too much about properly balancing my dog’s diet. Rather, I know too much about the potential implications if I DON’T.
But by golly, I’m gonna give it a shot! There’s a lot of conflicting information out there, so I picked one (BalanceIT), I’m going to follow it VERY carefully, and I’m going to have my dog re-checked in a few months to make sure all his blood levels and such still look okay.
Of COURSE I can do this. No more melamine or “animal digest” for MY little guy!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 5, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
Other Pat - I think you’re right about Gail’s post. My bad, sorry Gail!
Maybe that stuff grossed me out so much it caused a brain fart!
Comment by Ally — May 5, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
I guess I need to tell you all that this intentional poisoning of our food supply has been and will continue for years. When you go to a normal store here in the USA about 80% of all food found on the shelves has some type of GM food included in it. We do not know and these food companies have a strangle hold on our government and the FDA. To point out the reality of the human diet …it is a mess. Our diversified diet is only because there are people who make money off what we eat….it has nothing to do with health…it has to do with money. There is only one diet I would recommend and that is the “Eat Right for Your Blood Type” diet and this diet is based on genetics research. Stay organic and use this plan and you will stay healthy. I have been raising sheep now for ten years. They have only eaten green grass growing on my property and alfalfa in the off season. My sheep have never been sick they have never received a shot or any type of medication…….please tell me why these sheep are always healthy and we humans are always sick? Its the garbage that we eat and that are sold on every commercial on TV. We are being led around by our nose on purpose. See you the human are now a commodity and every thing you think, say, do, buy and want is worth money and control by someone else, It is not necessary for any of these companies to make you all sick. All they need to do is bring down a couple of you in the pen…..and create chronic illnesses that they can control and make money on for the long term. This pet food problem caused to much attention to the activity planned on purpose….they got caught and now the real cat is out of the bag. Companies like Novartis have been doing this for years. They create the poisons and then create the medication for you after you drop sick in the pen. Not everyone is needed…just enough of you to make a couple billion off the illness caused on purpose. This is not a world where ethics and morality reign supreme. There are very bad people involved in many industries and all they want is money and power and they really don’t care how they get it…just as long as they do.
I have known this now for many years and have tried to share it with those around me and in e-mails. Often I find people do not care and are not willing to listen or change their ways. If it does not directly effect them then they do nothing….how stupid we all really are. Children are dropping like flies and climbing the walls and taking drugs to control their behavior in record numbers. Companies making these control drugs also make food that the children eat……how nice and how stupid are we? Here in the USA we live in a fantasy world created by the TV and commercials we are bombarded with daily….its a wonderful place of deception for control….of your life and brain. All of us need to take a deep breath and change the future for the better and take control of the world and environment around us. A movement of truth would be a movement long overdue.
Obewan
Comment by Lew Orban — May 5, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
You do not give any country a second chance when it comes to your food supply. Seriously…. all imports of processed foods from China need to be banned now and must prevented from entering this country.
Let us not be ingnorant in the facts….you are all being poisoned on purpose! How can any government official look at this event as an isolated issue…this has been happening since 1995. Who is going to pay for all the diseased individuals rushing into the hospitals….our government is liable and they certainly should! National Health Care is now a reality based on trusting a communist country with your food stuffs. What moron has been incharge of this country and the FDA? Clearly “We are not the World” and you are all being played for fools……
Obewan
Comment by Lew Orban — May 5, 2007 @ 6:07 pm