Pet-food recall: Now you see ‘em, now you don’t
By Gina Spadafori
May 11, 2007
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The FDA yesterday took great pains to praise the cooperation of the Chinese government in allowing U.S. inspectors to have a look-see. From the transcript:
OPERATOR: Next question is from Brian Hartman of ABC News.
REPORTER: Hi. You say you’re getting very good cooperation in China, but you get to the factories and there’s nothing there. You can’t interview the people who have been detained. And you couldn’t get visas into the country. I just wonder if you could be more clear on what they are cooperating on. And the follow-up, if you can tell me if anyone is testing melamine on live animals right now to better understand how it moves through other systems of animals? Thank you.
MR. BATTS: Could you repeat the first part of your question having to do with –
REPORTER: Well, sure. You said a couple times here that you’re very happy with the cooperation in China, and I guess this is for Mr. Batts, and, but it sounded to me like what you’re saying to us about what’s happening in China is you’re getting to a factory that’s been dismantled and there’s nothing to look at. You can’t do any tests on anything. You can’t talk to the people who have been detained. And you had trouble even getting visas into the country. So I’m just wondering, what is it that you’re not telling us about how cooperative China is being?
MR. BATTS: First of all, concerning the visas I’m not sure where the information came about China not being cooperative concerning the visas. We found them very cooperative and in fact when the passports of our travel representatives went to the embassy for visas, they were taken care of within the same day, one of them within an hour of receipt, which is an unprecedented turnaround for the Chinese embassy of fixing visas. So let me dispel that point about no cooperation of the visas.
Concerning what’s going on in China, the agency that we are working with that Dr. Acheson mentioned earlier, AQSIQ, has been cooperative. They do have limited authority over the firms in this instance, and so that has hampered some of this. It has hampered what they were able to do before we even arrived on site. And they carried out an extensive investigation before our team arrived in China.
But we are satisfied in that they have shared with us documents that they have obtained and anything they found during the investigation. The fact that facilities may have been closed or shut down by the companies and there wasn’t much to see is just a fact and not necessarily to be blamed on lack of cooperation by the Chinese authorities.
Emphasis mine, to point out that the information came from Sen. Richard J. Durbin and Rep. Rosa DeLauro on April 18:
In the meeting, Durbin and DeLauro learned that the Chinese Government has blocked requests from the FDA to send personnel to China to inspect the facilities suspected of producing the contaminated products. The FDA first contacted the Chinese Government on April 4, 2007, but have not been granted permission to send food inspectors into the country. In response, Durbin and DeLauro sent a letter to the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Zhou Wenzong, urging the Chinese Government to issue visas to U.S. food inspectors as quickly as possible.
“It is unacceptable that the Chinese government is blocking our food safety inspectors from entering their country and examining facilities that are suspected of providing contaminated pet food to American consumers,” said Durbin. “We have asked for two things in our letter today — that the Chinese government allow our inspectors in and that the Chinese ambassador to the United States meet with Congresswoman DeLauro and me to discuss the larger issue of contaminated food being sent to the U.S. These are reasonable requests and we hope that we can find a level of cooperation with the Chinese.”
This morning, Rick Weiss of the Washington Post reports that it’s tough to investigate factories that have, well, disappeared:
American inspectors who arrived in China last week to investigate the two companies that exported tainted pet food ingredients found that the suspect facilities had been hastily closed down and cleaned up, federal officials said yesterday.
“There is nothing to be found. They are essentially shut down and not operating,” said Walter Batts, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration’s office of international programs.
[...]
Despite the revelations, officials sought yesterday to put a positive face on the two-month-old scandal, which includes the inadvertent sale of millions of chickens that ate the tainted feed and the ongoing quarantine of tens of thousands of hogs.
David Acheson, FDA’s assistant commissioner for food protection, said that despite appearances, U.S. investigators in China “have received good cooperation and support” from Chinese authorities.
Here’s the rest. And here’s ABC News’ Brian Hartman’s report on what’s not in China anymore.
Also yesterday, the FDA refused to name the second distributor of rice protein concentrate, even though the company itself had posted a recall notice on May 4, and the FDA confirmed to our Christie Keith that there may be more recalls coming. From the transcript (the reporter, again Rick Weiss of the Washington Post):
REPORTER: Thanks. The second question was about the second import, imported stream of what’s been called rice protein concentrate. Representative DeLauro mentioned this in a release yesterday, a company in Illinois that has initiated a recall apparently. Can you tell us anything about this? This is I think the second done after ChemNutra, the only other one I’m aware of and whether this is really rice protein concentrate and how much of it went where.
DR. ACHESON: Well, I can tell you that some of our testing has indicated that some of the melamine-positive material labeled as rice protein concentrate was not rice protein concentrate. It was indeed the ground up wheat flour with melamine. So certainly some of the rice protein concentrate that we tested was mislabeled. In terms of the specifics of Illinois, I don’t think we have any further specific information to give you on that.
REPORTER: Can you confirm the representative’s statement that there is a company in Illinois that has been found to have been distributing this as ChemNutra was?
DR. ACHESON: I’ll ask Michael Rogers to answer that.
DR. ROGERS: Yes, that’s correct, but I think the headline continues to be that all of the positive bulk wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate have been associated with two suspect sources in China, the firm that you’re referencing in Illinois is consistent with that statement.
DR. ACHESON: Yes, that’s an important point, that as this unfolds, as I said in my opening statement this is an ongoing investigation, and we can anticipate that other things will come to light as we’re following and tracking this down. But everything that’s testing so far positive to melamine is still ultimately linking back to that same two sets of problems with the two companies in China. Nothing so far has gone outside that scope, and that’s an important point. And again to emphasize, we’re looking. The domestic assignment is looking outside that scope, and so far nothing else has come up.
The Chicago Tribune followed late last night with a story identifying the company — as we already had — as Cereal By-Products of Mount Prospect, Ill.
Bringing up from comments, a link to this piece from the legendary foreign affairs columnist Georgie Anne Geyer, who is also a cat-lover of the first degree (her columns are also distributed by the same syndicate — Universal Press — as ours are):
The pet food scandal was revealed several weeks ago because of the sudden deaths of countless pets through liver poisoning; it was subsequently discovered that a number of Chinese firms were using a white, gypsum-like substance called melamine to provide cheap bulk to pet food — bulk that approximated protein in examination but was instead also poisonous.
But that was only the beginning. Now the poisoned Chinese food chain has reached out across the world well beyond the recall of 60 million (as of now) packages of pet food: catfish illegally contaminated with antibiotics; counterfeit glycerin that is named as the cause of at least 365 deaths in Panama; chickens that had to be destroyed because of tainted Chinese food; severe malnutrition in Chinese children from fake milk powder; soy sauce made from human hair; cuttlefish soaked in calligraphy ink to improve their color, and eels fed contraceptive pills to make them grow longer and slimmer.
I recall, on the many times I’ve been to China, that I would occasionally ask exactly what it was that we were eating. I don’t know now whether I’m glad or sorry that they often smiled oddly ambiguous smiles and seldom answered the question.
Here’s the rest.
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my understanding all along was they had trouble getting visas. Also, didn’t one of the companies raze their facility before investigators could get there?
Comment by lablover — May 11, 2007 @ 9:11 am
Gina - check your email for more info on this…
Royal Canin appears to have received the RPC directly from Cereal Byproducts, leaving only 2 companies unidentified. (Not confirmed yet, but very likely)
Comment by Kim — May 11, 2007 @ 9:19 am
P.S. LOVE the bulldozer pic!
Comment by Kim — May 11, 2007 @ 9:24 am
The list of poisoned foods in China is all the more reason to note that if you don’t want processed ‘foods’ from China, don’t use processed foods because I seriously doubt that your hamburger helper and canned pet food will ever EVER list the country of origin for all the ingredients.
Make it yourself with best, real ingredients you can find from countries that comply with ethical standards. If you don’t know where it’s coming from, it’s probably coming from China.
Comment by Cynthia — May 11, 2007 @ 9:27 am
my understanding about the 3rd company that hasn’t recalled their product, was that the product was shipped to them over 9 mos ago and samples have come back from independent labs as negative for melamine. I hope this is true.
Comment by lablover — May 11, 2007 @ 9:32 am
So, now the FDA is claiming that Senator Durbin and Delauro are not telling us the truth?
That the Senators simply lied to the American people when they said that the Chinese were actively blocking the arrival and work of our FDA inspectors?
Maybe the Senate should have another little chat with the FDA people. Wait, better yet - if it turns out tha the FDA representatives lied to Congress regarding this issue, maybe the responsible FDA official should FIRED.
Comment by TC — May 11, 2007 @ 9:33 am
http://marketplace.publicradio.....ml?refid=0
You’ll need “Real Player” to listen to this, title is : “China opens to melamine inspection”
Click on- Listen to This Story. Listen all the way through - some new info too.
Comment by shelly — May 11, 2007 @ 9:35 am
The question still remains, who did Cereal Byproducts sell the adulterated rice protein to and which foods should be on the recall list that are not yet.
What is taking them so long, don’t they realize that they are just making things worse for all involved, including themselves, by not coming out in a forthright manner and announcing a recall?
As the activity of the bloggers continues, the old ‘ignore it and it will go away’ philosophy will go up in smoke and only those who come clean and subsequently, are honest, will prevail. Those who try to sweep it under the rug and continue ‘business as usual’ will be boycotted by the conscientious food buying public, and as this get worse and infiltrates the entire food supply, more and more people will become conscientious and investigate what it is they are feeding themselves and their families, furry or otherwise.
GO BLOGGERS!
Comment by Andrea — May 11, 2007 @ 9:37 am
And btw, thank to PC for all the links to various articles this a.m. It is more than enough for me to get a picture of basic Chinese values. I could care less if they change their ways - I can’t control that, and given the history, they won’t be changing their ways in my lifetime. They simply don’t place the same value that I do on certain things. Fine by me, just don’t expect me to willingly and knowingly do business with them. I am disgusted - yes, I knew some of this before the recall. I had NO idea the extent of it, and worse, the extent of our import/export schemes with them.
I am redoubling my efforts to never buy food or materials from China. Hopefully some day soon I will get a dang break and an actual LABEL will help me determine an item’s origin - wouldn’t that be special? Or as I mentioned elsewhere, a human crisis of undeniable origin and proportions will force the issue and change our risky business model with them.
But am not holding my breath, so I do intend to eliminate China as much as is humanly possible from my consumer purchases.
Comment by TC — May 11, 2007 @ 9:39 am
ACK. Sorry posted this to wrong thread. Thought more would see it if I re-post it here:
Hrmm…….interesting link posted at Itchmos forums:
http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....607/?pg=69
I’m still perusing it to see how best to make use of this source.
Its from the PFI showing who supplies the ingedients to pet food manufacturers.
Comment by Ally — May 11, 2007 @ 9:40 am
And btw, thank to PC for all the links to various articles this a.m. It is more than enough for me to get a picture of basic Chinese values. I could care less if they change their ways - I can’t control that, and given the history, they won’t be changing their ways in my lifetime. They simply don’t place the same value that I do on certain things. Fine by me, just don’t expect me to willingly and knowingly do business with them. I am disgusted - yes, I knew some of this before the recall. I had NO idea the extent of it, and worse, the extent of our import/export schemes with them.
I am redoubling my efforts to never buy food or materials from China. Hopefully some day soon I will get a dang break and an actual LABEL will help me determine an item’s origin - wouldn’t that be special? .
Comment by TC — May 11, 2007 @ 9:41 am
Oops - sorry for being impatient.
Comment by TC — May 11, 2007 @ 9:45 am
Shelly, oh my goodness - I listened to the link - 40% of food on the marketplace is suspect in China? Is that what he said? Gads.
Comment by Linda — May 11, 2007 @ 9:51 am
Andrea - I think one of Cereal Byproducts customers was Royal Canin, but don’t have it confirmed yet. See my ongoing summary of “Who got What” over on my blog.
We WILL figure it out whether they tell us or not!
Comment by Kim — May 11, 2007 @ 9:55 am
http://www.consumeraffairs.com.....all30.html
“Durbin and DeLauro learned about China’s refusal to grant the food inspectors visas during a meeting Wednesday with FDA Commission, Andrew von Eschenbach.”
Comment by shelly — May 11, 2007 @ 10:02 am
Linda -
Yep. If they do that to their own people, imagine what they’ll do to others?
Comment by shelly — May 11, 2007 @ 10:02 am
Comment by Kim — May 11, 2007 @ 9:19 am
When I go from Masterfoods.com > Mars > Waltham > Pet Care Brands = I see Royal Canin (and friends)
Comment by shelly — May 11, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Comment by Kim — May 11, 2007 @ 9:55 am
“We WILL figure it out whether they tell us or not!”
Yes indeedy Kim, we will!
Thanks HUGE for keeping that list concisely in one place (and everything else you’ve done to keep us updated). It sure helps my poor beyond frazzled brain overloadus. Not to mention the repeated esplodey incidents & clean ups on aisle 7….
Comment by Ally — May 11, 2007 @ 10:08 am
On the visa issue, the issue was addressed at the April 24 House oversight hearing. Someone (Barton of TX, maybe?) said outright:
FDA has been trying 2 weeks to get visas. China rejected the first request but yesterday agreed to the second.
Additionally, I think it was the chair, Rep. Stupak, who explained that the reason the FDA was not there that day but was coming for a subsequent hearing was to get the scope of the investigation set out first and to pressure China to let the FDA in. The idea was to use the Congressional oversight role in scheduling hearings to force China to see they were serious and to cooperate.
I notice checking that committee’s schedule that FDA is supposed to be there for a hearing this Thursday, the 17th.
http://energycommerce.house.go.....dule.shtml
Comment by yet another pat — May 11, 2007 @ 10:10 am
What are the direct e-mail addresses for Sen. Durbin and Rep. DeLauro? I would like to add my voice along with the “discrepancy” (read lie) that Acheson tried to pass yesterday. am sure they know all about it but more is better in this case. Is there no contempt of Congress when contradictt yourself that severely.?
Comment by Jay — May 11, 2007 @ 10:13 am
Also, might you direct me to a comprehensive list of Menu contractees — not just those on recall but all and everything? Just Menu for now. I thought I had one but I can’t find it.
Comment by Jay — May 11, 2007 @ 10:15 am
RE:Comment by Ally — May 11, 2007 @ 9:40 am
Pet Food Industry Publication: Suppliers Page
Ally, how about a table in Excel that shows supplier and type of product. This would allow for easy identification of who does what. Kim has my email address. With this great link we can also add the city/state of the supplier, if useful. [Kim will find my email address with Bernie’s address.]
I’m thinking maybe Kim might want to add it to her website.
Kim: If you think this is a good idea, email me, as I’m swamped this week and having really had a chance to read any comments, save a few.
Comment by Lynn — May 11, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Re: the VISA issue
Another article I dug up from my bookmarked archives from the Chicago Trib on 5/2/07 as reported by Steve Dale….
Quoting Sen. Dick Durbin:
“When I called (the Chinese government representatives) and asked why they didn’t issue visas in a timely fashion for the FDA (inspectors to inspect their facilities), they said the individual in charge retired. That’s a pretty lame excuse, to be honest with you.”
In other words, “the individual in charge retired” translates into “we needed to dismantle, shut down and bulldoze any possible evidence ASAP”. SNAFU eradicated, 2008 Olympics “face saved”, US inspectors come on in. It’s all good now!!!
The rest of Steve Dale’s article:
http://www.legacy.com/chicagot.....roupId=201
Comment by Ally — May 11, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Regarding the FDA press conference meeting 05-10-2007.
Regarding the confusion within the FDA and the lack of knowing what is going on outside their immediate cubicle, I believe Thomas Edison asked it best:
“What hath God wrought?”
Comment by Lynn — May 11, 2007 @ 10:26 am
A lot of it is about the Olympics - even the dog culling in Beijing and removal of dogs from people’s homes if not of approved size and quantity. Very Sad and my heart aches for those poor Chinese people who suffer too along with their pets.
Comment by Linda — May 11, 2007 @ 10:27 am
I want to suggest we import one thing from China: all the bulldozers they used to dismantle the melamine farms. I figure we can ship them to Washington, DC, and dismantle the FDA.
Comment by Lynn — May 11, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Mr. BATTS sounds like a complete idiot to say that China cooperated is absurd. EVERYONE knows that is not the case. Where the heck has he been for the past few months? Jeez…
Comment by JAG — May 11, 2007 @ 10:47 am
I get the feeling this is not going to be solved by anything less than very serious action on the part of americans.. we are simply
going to have to end imported food products from china. (i guarentee the same poisons will
be sold here again , as soon as the “public” forgets?). china’s record for violations of
food ,and drug safety is known worldwide.
when people stop buying products from this 3rd.century country of criminals it’l be a start? (read last night about miltary secrets being sold to china?).. when does it end? when
every country says to china , “thats it pal” no thanks! i also see that “nutro” (menu foods)
is back selling it’s poisoned products ? after checking e-messages on this site , owners are reporting sick , and dying pets???
let get active , tell everyone about this threat, call your representives, call your neighbors, we’r still not finished ! work to be done!
Comment by johnypaycut — May 11, 2007 @ 10:49 am
I think that is BS about getting the Visa’s right away. If FDA did get them right away, what took so long for them to get over there? It gave China the time to close down the plants and clean-up. If the Visa’s were issued right away, then FDA needs to answer why THEY took so long to go inspect? Just whom are they protecting - China or us?
Comment by Deanna — May 11, 2007 @ 10:55 am
For those of you that are trying to avoid food stuff made in China, good luck. Almost impossible to find out who manufacturers what. Storebrand will often only say “marketed by- name of chain store”. Nothing else. Then there are the other mysterie ones. Distributed by”xxx” and packaged by”XXX”. Nothing else, Nada. No manufacturer at all. USA labeling stinks to high heaven and is heavily slanted to favor big business , not the consumer.
You have to be a mystic if you want to know who actually manufactures it.IMO, pet food brands that donot make their stuff, but contract the whole enchilada out, should be listed as a distributor and the packaging company plus the manufacturer should be listed if they are different also. The food poisoning would have come out of the woodwork earlier IMO if complaints would not have been dissipated between a multitude of brands.
Venezuela(Purina poisoning 2005) had a national fund set up to reimburse pet owners and pay upfront for pet bills and long term care.. But in this richest country in world , we cannot do that.
Law suits seem to be the answer and lawyers will get most of the money ofcourse.
In China, some individuals are already in jail and their factories closed down. In the USA, nothing., they can buy their way out, apparently.
Am so disgusted. Time for a food labeling revolution.
Comment by Serijna — May 11, 2007 @ 11:01 am
Two (human) food companies I’ve written to have given vague answers as to grain sources. That is, I asked for specific country (or countries)which grains are sourced from and added “USA or another country?” just to make sure they understand I wanted a SPECIFIC answer. Both replied that their grains are from “North America”. I wrote back to the first one and asked if that meant USA, Canada or Mexico and got no reply. I have crossed both off my list for safe sources of grains. I really wish we had COOL on all our foods so we could make informed decisions.
Comment by slt — May 11, 2007 @ 11:35 am
The reporter who asked the question should have followed up immediately about the discrepancy with Chinese cooperation. Or if he didn’t know someone else should have made the point. The FDA is not being called to account in that forum.
One of my senators still thinks that only 16 pets have died. Despite the large amount of contaminated products recalled, it is still viewed as a small problem by those in power.
Comment by Carol — May 11, 2007 @ 11:45 am
The reporter who asked the question should have followed up immediately about the discrepancy with Chinese cooperation.
Except they cut our phones off after our question. It’s amazing he got to ask as much as he did.
Comment by Christie Keith — May 11, 2007 @ 11:48 am
“You have to be a mystic if you want to know who actually manufactures it”
It may require a change in eating habits. I personally don’t eat many process foods, so I have been able to find sources for pretty much everything local/state. For the few items I can’t, I’m researching and still finding it possible for much of it to at least be from the US and certified organic. Supplements are the hardest, but still doable from organic whole food sources at least.
Comment by straybaby — May 11, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Straybaby,
Call me lazy but I think it is a very sad state of affaire when we have to question and research each item we buy in order to have peace of mind iether for our pets or our family.. All government exists by the grace of us taxpayers. It is totally unacceptable that we have to spent our valuable time to play Sherlock Holmes. The labeling should be sufficient to make a decision and what to buy or not to buy. The government should not be our enemy that we distrust to the inch degree. We have grown to accept this as norm over the years. Really, really very sad.
Comment by Serijna — May 11, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
Comment by Serijna — May 11, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
i totally agree. can’t tell you how much time i’ve spent to make sure that my pets and i have safe food, etc. freakin’ insane, but can’t trust anything right now :(
Comment by straybaby — May 11, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
is this one new:
ST. CHARLES, Mo., May 11 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Canin USA is announcing today the voluntary nationwide recall of eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products.
Comment by alex — May 11, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
The following eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven
Kasco dry dog and cat food products with date codes between July 28, 2006
to April 30, 2007 are being voluntarily recalled:
SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Adult (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Lamb and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Adult (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Senior (Dry Dog Food)
— SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
KASCO(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
— KASCO(R) Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Hi Energy (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Maintenance (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Mealettes (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Mini Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
— KASCO(R) Cat (Dry Cat Food)
Comment by alex — May 11, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Serijina - You are completly correct that labeling is simply worthless. So I am just changing my lifestyle drastically to avoid food from China or anywhere that I have no confidence in how they do business.
I have cows; I have butcher paper and I know how to kill, hang, cut & wrap. Same for the venison (thanks grandma! thanks mom! who’d of thunk your daughter with such advanced degrees would come full circle?). I am going to find a way to make chickens work without commercial feed. I will be planting a garden again, though in the high desert the season is short and the wildlife challenging. I will be picking fruits myself and freezing/otherwise processing it for winter. If I can’t find it locally or can’t confirm it is both grown/raised here AND done so in a manner that is safe (yes, there are americans who run the same damn scams the chinese do for profit), then it won’t be a part of my diet. I have done all of this before, and it is occuring to me that there is no reason why I can’t resume doing so (okay, getting older. But not that old).
What I am going to do to manage my risk is simply not practical for most people. And all it will do is lesson my risk, certainly in this day and age it will never eliminate it. But I will do as much as I can, and then just not worry about what I cannot change. I think to a lessor extent, everyone can try to manage risk to some degree or another - organic. Only buying from people you have reason to know you can trust. Growing something in your own backyard, so that not everything you eat comes from the god-knows-where via your grocery store. No more junk food - no more convenience foods. At all.
I will never find a way to change human nature, and this is just what humans do. Pick up any history book, or just sit back and turn on the history or military or the documentary channel. This isn’t the norm just here - this is the “norm” over recorded history. Some good periods; some dark periods. But there isn’t and never will be some magical time when we don’t have to look out for ourselves, when we can equally trust everyone and everything - only times when things appear so smooth on the surface, that we pretend that we can do so. I too chose to be lulled into assuming that trust really didn’t need to be earned. Reality check provided care of this food fiasco.
Comment by TC — May 11, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
Comment by TC - May 11, 2007 @ 9:33 AM
Comment by Shelly - May 11, 2007 @ 10:02 AM
re: FDA visas and Durbin & DeLauro.
Durbin said the FDA has tried since April 4, 2007 to get into China.
According to Steve Stern on the ChemNutra website: Steve Miller went to visit XuZhou Anying on March 30, 2007. This is according to ChemNutra’s timeline.
Wish I could have been a fly on the wall at that chummy little get-together.
I wonder who’s idea it was to get a CAT?
Comment by Kathi — May 12, 2007 @ 12:12 am
Supposedly, the FDA field investigator in Las Vegas dropped by ChemNutra on March 29, 2007 late in the day to tell them melamine was found to be a contaminent but wouldn’t know the quantity until March 30, 2007 according to ChemNutra’s timeline. In less than 24 hours, Steve Miller was in China to speak personally with XuZhou Anying about the melamine which supposedly Anying denied knowledge of.
I wonder what time he caught that flight and why he needed to speak with them in person. Wouldn’t a phone call do just as well? Did he need to see something or did he need to discuss something in particular? And why the rush to get there?
Comment by Kathi — May 12, 2007 @ 2:26 am