Menu, others say no more ingredients from China
By Christie Keith
May 20, 2007
From USA Today’s Julie Schmit and Elizabeth Weise:
Menu Foods, North America’s biggest maker of wet pet foods and the company that launched the pet food recall, is phasing out ingredients from China.
It won’t resume using them until Menu and the “world community” are assured that they are safe, says Menu’s outside counsel, David Lillehaug of Fredrikson & Byron.
It’s not just Menu that’s feeling pressure to stop using Chinese ingredients:
“All of our customers are asking, ‘Where are the ingredients coming from?’ ” says Victor Barsky, of the New York-based Chenango Valley Pet Foods, which makes dry pet food for 35 companies. It, too, is dropping China-made ingredients, Barsky says.
Pet food maker Royal Canin USA has also said it won’t use vegetable proteins from China. Pet food maker C.J. Foods has said it’ll nix protein sources from “exotic” locations.
The ASPCA recently advised pet owners to contact pet food companies and determine where their ingredients originate, and on Pet Connection, we’ve been encouraging you to do the same thing. Apparently, it’s working, although it’s going to be a tough change for many manufacturers:
Most pet food ingredients come from the U.S. But China is a primary source for some B vitamins and amino acids, including taurine used in cat foods. Finding them elsewhere will be hard, says Greg Aldrich, nutritionist with Pet Food & Ingredient Technology.
China also supplies about 8% of the USA’s wheat gluten. In pet foods, it adds protein and serves as a binding agent for wet foods. That product led to Menu’s recall. Then, melamine was found in another protein ingredient used by other pet food makers. Two Chinese firms are suspected of spiking the products with melamine to make them look more protein rich, thus more valuable, than they were.
Unsurprisingly, some in the pet food industry aren’t thrilled with the concept:
Rather than “shut the door” on China ingredients, Pet Food Institute President Duane Ekedahl says better procedures are needed to ensure quality.
Read the full article here.
Update from Gina: Check out this map tracing the trail of the contaminated pet-food ingredients. From the Washington Post. (Thanks, ticocat!)
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Duane Duane Duane…..We (pet owners but probably 99% of all Americans) are asking you to please do us all a favor & step down.
You are such an arrogant ass……I have a great idea so you can prove your usefulness to the world. You import all those wonderful, safe ingredients from China to your house, feed your family, friends & neighbors with them & we’ll check back with you in a year. If you are all alive & well, then we will know that “better procedures” have been added to ensure quality. However, if you are all gone or terribly ill, geez, what a tough break. Perhaps you will then understand how all of us feel.
Comment by JanC — May 20, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
Sorry, Gina & Christie…..I tried so hard to find an appropriate word to describe that man & just couldn’t find one except the one I used.
The only thing that will get that jerk to see the light is if one member of his family is poisoned by these imports. But then again, he probably knows which foods are safe & we don’t.
Perhaps I’ll send the above to him & hope he reads it. Anyone have his email address???????
Comment by JanC — May 20, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
At least USAToday is still on the job, even if everyone else takes weekends off. Kudos to Schmit, once again!
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Duane Ekedahl
Comment by Ann H — May 20, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
“Mela-chickens!” Mmmmm… tastes like pet food!
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
I just made a comment on the USA Today blog—I wished that Michael Moore would make a film about the unhealthy food that the people and pets have to eat—especially food from China.
Also said no pet food for my cats if food is imported from China.
Wrote to Durbin and Salazar, also. Even if my efforts are minor, I will keep doing what I can to have more wholesome food for everyone and every animal. Really mad that
my cats had to eat those weird ingredients.
Comment by Evelyn — May 20, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Copy of letter emailed to Congress, Senate and President, Saturday, May 20, 2007. Please feel free to use parts of this - but alter enough to avoid “mass mailing” deletion:
Dear xxxxxx,
In the past, I have contacted your office twice concerning trade with China. The first time was in 1999, when China was granted MFN status, paving their way into the WTO and permanent normal trade status. I opposed this measure, because of China’s low manufacturing, environmental and human rights standards, and continue to oppose these measures to this day.
Since that time we have seen the loss of millions of American manufacturing jobs to unfair overseas competition, (when a circuit board manufacturer moves to China, many other adjuncts and outsources to this manufacturer will also generally move there, or to closer locations such as Singapore or Thailand).
The second time I contacted your office was last summer (2006), shortly after North Korea attempted to test long range missiles over the Sea of Japan, on July 4th. The North Korean regime can only continue on their dangerous, and ultimately self-destructive course with the blind eye and encouragement of the Peking government. We have still seen no substantial action toward sanctioning this Communist regime, which may pose the most significant threat to international peace and security since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Two weeks ago, my once healthy cat almost died from eating poisoned pet food with the poisoned ingredients originating in China. This is the final straw for me. Until this event occurred, I wasn’t even aware that the United States, my entire life referred to as “the breadbasket of the world,” was getting ANY ingredients from China to begin with.
How is it that our manufacturing and now agricultural sectors can be allowed to fall into abandonment and decay, at the hands of an infantile Communist government, and a handful of “free trade” lobbyists, while the President, my senators and congressional representative stand idly by? Is there any reason I SHOULDN’T feel disparaged, humiliated and mocked by my own government, as these betrayals occur, year after year?
You can answer me with legislation and action only. I don’t need any more cheap rhetoric. Take action now, or lose your job. Thank you.
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
Menu is only about one year too late (July, 2006 is when they went cheap and foolish) and I don’t care if they never buy another ounce from China — I will never buy another product produced by them, now and forever.
Comment by Jay — May 20, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
http://www.cafepress.com/FoodSafety4All
I set this up where I don’t make any money off of it.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 20, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 20, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
It ain’t working for me, for some reason. All I get is a blank page with headers.
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
OTHER Pat - link worked fine for me (FF on Mac OS X).
Pal? What browser are you using?
Comment by Ally — May 20, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
Comment by Ally — May 20, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
ditto on all ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
Good job, Palomino, on that letter to officials. If feels so good to see that other people are voicing their outrage to the elected U.S. officials who are suppose to be working for we the people (ideally).
Comment by Evelyn — May 20, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
netscape 7.2 on xp. let me try IE…
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
OK, works in IE. Nice, by the way.
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
Yeah, that’s what I said Friday. Wrote the FDA Ombudsman again complaining that there is no “ferret food” category (only cats and dogs). “Sorry to be so much ‘trouble’,” I said.
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 3:51 pm
> Menu Foods, North America’s biggest maker of wet pet foods
> and the company that launched the pet food recall, is phasing
> out ingredients from China.
> “It won’t resume using them until Menu and the “world community”
> are assured that they are safe, says Menu’s outside counsel, David
> Lillehaug of Fredrikson & Byron.
Translation: Menu Foods to continue using Chinese products in their foods.
It clearly says that they will stop using them until they start using them again.
Comment by Barry — May 20, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
“is phasing out ingredients from China”
Phasing out? You either use ingredients you trust for purity or you don’t.
I feel no confidence from a corporation who is going to “phase out” an ingredient. They have a choice, either phase out or stop immediately.
Interesting also, they are using an outside attorney to speak for their company.
Comment by Donna — May 20, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
Want to Consumer Safety website and Baroody was nominated for Director—he has represented the industries instead of the consumer.
No safety in food, I guess, no safety in consumer products, either.
Menu food said they would not continue using Chinese ingredients until they deem it is safe enough to do so—hope it is not soon.
Comment by Evelyn — May 20, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
From an earlier blog by the owners:
“[Duane] Ekedahl [president of the Pet Food Institute]: There were specific [news] articles that were troublesome and bloggers who were off the charts.”
These lobbyists communicate with and probably often harrass Congress, the President and concerned agencies constantly. These agencies, i.e. USDA, FDA will be familiar with his comments. I suggest using “off the charts troublesome” as an adjective when communicating with the government in the future. It just may ring a bell… Like: “Sorry to be so off the charts troublesome, Dr. Acheson.” And so on.
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
“Like: “Sorry to be so off the charts troublesome, Dr. Acheson.” And so on.”
how about, “Dr. Acheson, I find the problems with our food safety system to be off the charts and troublesome” ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
Or a letter to the Consumer Products Safety Commission:
“Mr. So-and-so, I find the Pet Food Institute’s public relations blitz and disinformation campaign to be off the charts troublesome.”
Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
http://www.reuters.com/article.....3020070520
China is on one heck of a shopping spree lately.
“NEW YORK (Reuters) - China’s new state investment firm on Sunday said it plans to make a $3 billion investment in the Blackstone Group, one of the most prominent and powerful U.S. private equity firms.”
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
Comment by Jay — May 20, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
“Menu is only about one year too late (July, 2006 is when they went cheap and foolish) and I don’t care if they never buy another ounce from China — I will never buy another product produced by them, now and forever.”
Poison from Menu Foods manufactured Nutro cat food killed my best friend. Menu and Nutro can go to …, well China. NEVER again will I buy anything related to those two firms.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 20, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Misadventures in Chinese Food
by Antonio Graceffo
http://www.talesofasia.com/rs-84-chinesefood.htm
This is actually quite funny. Good writer.
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
Whew, nicely written article. Reporter is ticked off as we are. We need more articles like these our there:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/861479.html
“The poisonous pet food - laced with Chinese industrial waste imported to the U.S. with rice and wheat proteins - is a sad, old story. It is an open question how many American animals actually died, and Israeli pets are believed to be safe, as Royal Canine, Eukanuba and other pet foods recalled in the U.S. are imported to Israel from France, not the U.S. But did you think that was the end of the story? You thought wrong.”
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
FDA Center For Veterinary Medicine Letter To Feed And Feed Ingredient Manufacturers
http://www.medicalnewstoday.co.....wsid=71444
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
Sorry Menu Foods. Too little , too late.
Do you really think that any of us pet owners would ever trust you again.
Do you really think that we would trust your judgment as to when ingredients are safe from China. Your approach is like the “the price is right” syndrome. We demand to see 100% free of foreign import ingredients and manufactured by Menu Foods on the labeling before we would even consider. And that would even be a big iffy. Now go back to dreamland again.
Comment by Serijna — May 20, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
RE Comment by Palomino — May 20, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
“It ain’t working for me, for some reason. All I get is a blank page with headers.”
It works just fine for me - using IE6.
Comment by Lynn — May 20, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
RE Chinese investement in Blackstone: “This is a very, very significant move and it symbolizes that China believes in America,” said Frank Holmes, chief executive of U.S. Global Investors Inc.
Believes in America? Are you kidding? Methinks it’s about CONTROL.
Comment by Lynn — May 20, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
RE Menu Foods and Royal Canin announcement:
Like anyone pays attention to what Ekedahl has to say.
Truth be told, I’d be an idiotic fool to trust anything Menu Foods and Royal Canin says. They can stamp their products ‘til the sea runs dry and put all the disclaimers in the world on them and I still wouldn’t trust them. I was a fool once - won’t be one again.
And Royal Canin - well, that was the house favorite here before everything went nuts. The dogs did their best on one of their IVD brands and really missed it. [My home cooking is really, REALLY bad.] To show you how much confidence I have in commercial food, I drove for several hours on Friday to personally drop off a sample of a new bag of Royal Canin at a reputable and FDA-certified lab to have it tested for melamine using a mass spectrometer. Not cheap - $150.00. And this particular one, the potato and duck [for allergies] is not even on the recall list. But it goes to show the lengths I and others will go to just to ensure our furkids’ safety.
Comment by Lynn — May 20, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
Masterfoods(Mars)seems to have ticked off the vegetarians in the UK by adding rennet(from stomach lining of calves)to their chocolate bars.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6653175.stm
“Masterfoods said the change was due to it switching the sourcing of its ingredients and the admission was a “principled decision” on its part. “
I haven’t had time to explore what “switching the sourcing” means.
And more as it concerns the U.S:
“This news comes on the heels of an announcement by the United States Food and Drug Administration that there is a move underfoot to change the “standard of identity” for chocolate, allowing food additives such as hydrogenated fats and other distinctly non-chocolate ingredients to be included in a product that can still be called chocolate.”
http://vegetarian.about.com/
This is all just like a bad movie.It’s way more than I ever wanted to know about our food,but something that’s now impossible to ignore.
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
From the same link as above,”The Vegetarian Society said it was “extremely disappointed”.
“At a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods’ decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step,” it said in a statement.
“…more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food…”.
NO KIDDING.And with good reason!
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
UNAPPROVED GM RICE FOUND: BAN ON CHINESE RICE IMPORTS URGENTLY NEEDED
September 7, 2006 — Friends of the Earth International today called on countries importing rice from China to immediately ban imports of Chinese rice following the detection of illegal genetically modified (GM) rice in Chinese foods on sale in Europe. [1]
http://www.foei.org/en/media/a...../0907.html
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
World’s largest rice company halts all US rice imports because of GM contamination threat
Friday, September 29, 2006
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/m.....ion-threat
Beijing - Greenpeace has discovered illegal genetically modified rice in Guangzhou, the largest city in Southern China, raising fears that the untested GM rice is spreading out of control and has entered the food chain in major Chinese cities.
The new evidence was revealed only weeks after Greenpeace exposed the growing of illegal GM rice in Hubei Province.(1) Chinese officials announced they would conduct an investigation into the scandal but it appears that no action has yet been taken - meanwhile contamination appears to be spreading.
All this was going on while our animals were dieing. melamine = smokescreen
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
The simple truth is, we don’t need GM technology. Using sustainable and organic farming methods will allow us to repair the damage done by industrial farming, reducing the excessive use of fertiliser, herbicides and other man-made chemicals, and making GM crops redundant.
If you want a future free from GM food, help us make sure that companies and governments around the world get the message.
http://greenpeace.org.uk/gm
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/
Here is the site for united states greenpeace (above was uk)
Comment by shelvonne — May 20, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
Want to know who does and **doesn’t** use GM in their final product, or doesn’t know/care?
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/.....ay-informe
Comment by shelly — May 20, 2007 @ 6:29 pm
RE http://www.medicalnewstoday.co.....wsid=71444
Ok, it’s better to lead a horse with carrots than to whip it from behind. But this letter from Sundlof is……well….wimpy.
“….this opportunity to remind feed and feed ingredient manufacturers…”
“Opportunity to remind”? Oh please, let’s see some assertiveness, please.
“…manufacturers are encouraged…” - good grief, ENCOURAGED? Isn’t there a law about this? Have we become a nation that “ENCOURAGES its citizens not to kill other citizens”? How about some a little more pointed, like “manufacturers MUST.”
Let’s not play games and write apologetic letters, for goodness sake, Sundlof. They only serve to be dismissed by the reader.
Comment by Lynn — May 20, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 20, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Well said. Please know I’m sorry for your loss.
I read comments on earlier posts that said boycotts are counter-productive. I’m not sure I agree with that. I do think boycotts have a price. I think it really comes down to choice and what you’re willing to sacrifice to make a point. We have created a culture here that we expect best price (aka, cheap) along with quick & easy.
The true recipe for the success of a company is whether they sell their product or not. If consumers continue to purchase, all the shouting in the world will not make a difference. If consumers refuse to purchase, it hits the most vulnerable part of a company – the bottomline. You don’t want to be in a board room and explain why a product has lost momentum and sales. The key is consumers have to tell the company why they are not purchasing.
I have to be honest — the pet food recall has really opened my eyes to potential dangers with human food. I never knew so much was imported – I never took the time to look. I do now. I read labels and make choices.
I’ve been touched by those who shared of how the recall affected their pets, especially those who lost a furkid. I am making choices now for those beloved dogs and cats, as well as my own. And there will be companies I no longer support and I will let them know why. Then, the choice is theirs.
Comment by Donna — May 20, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
don’t they know that messing around with chocolate will cause mass hysteria and rampaging hormonal women?! we NEED our chocolate to be CHOCOLATE!!
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Well apparently Mars has a few things to learn about human/pet food consumers.
(understatement)
I did the search because I heard the tail end of a news report on CBC tonight,saying that Masterfoods admitted they had made a mistake in changing the recipe.Of course I thought of another pet food connection,so went to the CBC web site to find out what was up.
I think Fair Trade Organic chocolate is our answer to Mars and company.
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 7:18 pm
“I never knew so much was imported – I never took the time to look. I do now. I read labels and make choices.”
ditto on the importation amount. what’s kinda interesting is many people only read labels for specific reasons. i have to wonder how many would notice if we did have COOL in place when it went into law. all this time they have been holding it off, we were all kinda sleeping. heh, the monster is awake now and that extra few cents a package is not gonna hold water this time around . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
yeah, i actually don’t remember the last time i bought a name brand chocolate. i used to when losing steam in the middle of the afternoon, something about me an office air, but at home it’s never an issue. I do like mu dark chocolate almonds from the health food store though :) i’ll have to check into fair trade choc. and then i’ll of course have to do some taste testing!
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Want to know who does and **doesn’t** use GM in their final product, or doesn’t know/care?
Wow, shelly, thanks for finding that, really opened my eyes even more if that’s even possible. Hope everyone looks at this list!
Comment by Nabiya — May 20, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
Still working through the comments, but just have to say DO-WAYNE needs to GO-bye bye.
Phasing out, well, weasel words to be sure, but at least something has to be getting through their pea brains if they are even heading slightly in this direction. That is good news. Not that I would buy from Menu as well, until I was certain they have learned how to run a pet food company. But there will be people who will buy from Menu, and so this is a good sign for their pets.
Comment by TC — May 20, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
Okay - that’s weird. Now it’s not showing up for ME either, and I’M the one who put it there!
Too tired tonight. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 20, 2007 @ 8:06 pm
I was wondering if anyone has the name of the 2 China companies handy that we know so far have been involved in the import of the tainted products? I think I have one of them but I cant find the other….thank you in advance!
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
You are having problems with your blog. I can’t get into it. the internet sign will show up and then it will shut off.
Comment by Jill — May 20, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Comment by Nabiya — May 20, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
yeah, rather eye opening. don’t feel so silly for looking for homemade condiment recipes now! lol!~
OY . . . . the true shopping list is sure *interesting*
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
And here’s alist for GE foods available in Canadian grocery stores,and companies who don’t care.
http://gmoguide.greenpeace.ca/
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
That map is very interesting to see the tracking of the products. (although I hate it when the state of AK isnt shown on maps, particularly weather maps) (-: lol
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
“The ASPCA recently advised pet owners to contact pet food companies and determine where their ingredients originate, and on Pet Connection, we’ve been encouraging you to do the same thing”
I emailed IAMS using the contact form on their website 6 or 7 days ago asking the source of some of their ingredients. I’ve not yet received any response.
Comment by Suzi — May 20, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Oh NO !!!
Haagen- Dazs !
http://www.haagendazs.com
1- 800 Number 1800-767-0120
Address:
P.O. Box 1328
Minneapolis , MN
USAs
55440-1
Owner:
General Mills
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
Thank you for the list of who uses GMO - it is now attached to my grocery list.
As for menu foods and any PFI member, it’s too late! I’m home cooking and will continue to do so. My dog has hair! goldens should have hair, but I forgot…. she has clean teeth! pearly whites! she smells clean!(that’s impt if you want to sell a house) and cooking for her is no big deal - who would’ve thought?!!
I am glad to have seen the light!!!!
Mr Do-Wayne it is time for you to take a long………….vacation.
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 20, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
Comment by Suzi — May 20, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Hi Suzi,
I started writing grocers and restaurants asking their source of chicken, pork and fish. Also asked how they would ensure safe products. You would be surprised how many are not replying. It’s been about 10+ days.
Comment by Donna — May 20, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
I found the China company names, thanks! In case anyone else needs them (Im doing some research tonight) they are Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Dev Co Ltd and Binzhou Futian Biology Tech Co Ltd.
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 9:04 pm
Katie,
you saw the shopping list right?
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/.....pping-list
I emailed them to ask if it’s routinely updated since the date on it was 2004. I’ll post when i hear back.
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
Comment by Lorna — May 20, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
that’s depressing! Ben n’ Jerry’s is a good one to support. My new ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid is showing up Tuesday . . *grin* HD has some good liquor flavors, guess i’ll have to experiment at home ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 20, 2007 @ 9:19 pm
Hi Straybaby
I saw it was marked 2004, but thought it was a place to being, let us know if you hear back.
I liked the idea from someone above(don’t remember who now) to call the companys while in the aisle at the grocery store. Great Idea!
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 20, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
Suzi,
Plan on waiting a long time….. I have spoken with customer service and vet services at Iams/Eukanuba. I have yet to get an answer. It is all proprietary! Oh, and they informed me none of their products contain wheat-gluten which was the only product recalled. They didn’t know gluten was wheat or about the RPC.
I also asked if they used Cereal By-Products, if the fish meal and fish oil had been tested and where all the rest of their ingred. originated.
Not a peep! I call weekly - now they tell me they are out to lunch and will get back to me…..
Let us know if you get a direct response from a human -
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 20, 2007 @ 9:39 pm
Thanks for the shopping list info. Very helpful.
Comment by Donna — May 20, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Well, Im sure everyone will be pleased to know that although Xuzhou Anying doesnt appear to be on Alibaba.com any longer or should I say at least for now, you wont be pleased to know that Binzhou Futian Biology Tech Co Ltd seems to be doing business as usual and even is under 2 slightly different names. Selling corn gluten meal, granule corn gluten meal, fish meal among many other wonderful items. http://chinafeed.en.alibaba.com/aboutus.html
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/s....._us_answer
I just posted an Alibaba link showing Binzhou Futian Biology Tech Co Ltd is still doing business as normal, selling all of their wonderful poisons! My post hasnt shown up yet but maybe it will soon. Anyhow, this link is to Alibaba’s contact page and I just sent a message to Alibaba asking them to remove Binzhou Futian Biology Tech Co Ltd from their site, that they shouldnt be allowed to do business there as they are responsible for selling a fake product that resulted in the deaths of thousands of US pets.
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
This decision to stop using China’s processed foods by Menu and others is the only correct choice to make and yes the American choice! Its about time all these companies saw the light and understood that China has never had the American food companies best interests at heart….it has always been about China and China only. That has been evident now and in the past…..as these contamination practices have gone on for many years and are still going on today in all their food products.
Finally Americans with brains……..and the strength of character to know when to end a very bad run…..profitable maybe… yet devastating to their own companies brand name and future business model and sales numbers.
I am proud of their choice to end these imports right now….this is the right choice and I hope al thel food manufacturers in the USA do the same as quickly as possible.
Obewan
Comment by Lew Orban — May 20, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
This was a statement from Duane Ekedahl earlier: “Our government cannot test every shipment into the United States, but what we can rely on is a system of certification,” he said.
And then above he says: “Rather than “shut the door” on China ingredients, Pet Food Institute President Duane Ekedahl says better procedures are needed to ensure quality.
So Duane is being kind of vague, what exactly do you want Duane? A set of “certifications” from China manufacturers saying their products are safe? And let me guess, you would believe them too, wouldnt you? Duane, I think its time you step out and tell everyone exactly what you want to ensure a safe product because I think its a big bunch of bull, you just want papers and an honor system and its all in the name of the almighty dollar.
Comment by Sandi K — May 20, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
Don’t forget that if you call any pet food company, you can be EXTREMELY clear on how much confidence you have in a company that supports Duane and his daily insults to the people who BUY the products.
I don’t care how good the product is, if they use the money _I_ pay for the product to pay someone like Duane to be rude to me then they can sure do without my money!
So if you call be sure and make your views on this substandard spokesperson known.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 21, 2007 @ 6:14 am
Rather than “shut the door” on China ingredients, Pet Food Institute President Duane Ekedahl says better procedures are needed to ensure quality.
I don’t care what the PFI does or says.
*I* will shut my door to China, as much as possible, and my ‘better procedures and quality control’ will involve buying organic, local, as unpoisoned as possible, and home cook.
People food or animal food doesn’t make a difference: no poison in my house, if I can help it.
Menu: Too little, too late. I will not, repeat not, ever buy from any company that is somewhat connected to this ‘Income Fund’ operation. I actually am considering reserving a bottle of Champagne for the day when I read that Menu Food Income Fund went belly-up.
To all companies out there, pet food or other: if you are linked, even by ‘unconfirmed rumour’, to Menu Food, I will not be using your products or services.
Comment by MaKo — May 21, 2007 @ 8:19 am
Lorna, thanks for posting the Greenpeace.ca GM list. I’ve bookmarked it. So sad about Haagen-Dazs!
Comment by shibadiva — May 21, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
Donna and Katie,
Don’t they (IAMS and any other companies) realize that by not responding it just makes them look worse? It makes me wonder if they have something to hide.
Since I lost my cat to the Royal Canin recalled food, I adopted a kitty from the local SPCA. He was fed IAMS dry food there and seemed to be doing ok on it. I got the same food for him when I first brought him home, but I’ve since switched him to California Natural. You can bet I won’t buy anything from IAMS again, especially since they act as if they have something to hide.
I also contacted California Natural and got a response in just over 24 hours. It was a canned response, but at least it was something, and none of their foods have been on the recall to my knowledge.
Comment by Suzi — May 21, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
“Don’t they (IAMS and any other companies) realize that by not responding it just makes them look worse? It makes me wonder if they have something to hide.”(Suzi)
Speaking of Iams and hiding,last week on the Guiding Light soap sprawled on one of the scene walls(of the outdoor cafe,if I remember)was the Iams logo.
And one of the characters in another scene had written a note for someone to look after feeding her dog.The chap reading the note said,”Yams??” and the response was that no that was an *I*,silly.!!
I’ve noticed a paucity of dog food ads on TV(except The Good Life seems to be back)recently,but maybe they’re going to start coming in the back door.
Wouldn’t that be a surprize,given all we know about the large pet food companies now???
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 22, 2007 @ 5:31 am
Rather than “shut the door” on China ingredients, Pet Food Institute President Duane Ekedahl says better procedures are needed to ensure quality.
Duane must be an idiot…they bulldozed the plant before the FDA could inspect it! Laying on the ground was a Gold Trimmed Certification Seal!
These people have no brains……..and are not Americans!
Obewan
Comment by Lew Orban — May 22, 2007 @ 5:59 am
I finally got a reply from IAMS. Just as Katie said, the email says “supplier information is proprietary and not shared outside the company.”
The email came from:
Karen Ann
Consumer Relations
P&G Pet Care
What the heck, here’s the entire email.
“Corn and corn grits are generally used as carbohydrates. Corn gluten is used as a protein. We DO NOT use corn gluten in any of our over-the-counter products. We use corn gluten in only two of our veterinary products:
Eukanuba Veterinary Diets dry Feline Multi-Stage Renal and Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Canine Advanced Stage Renal. These are
veterinarian-controlled foods and they are NOT part of the recall.
The pet food industry is competitive, so companies do not publicly share
their recipes or ingredient sourcing information. Because of the recent
issues on processed vegetable proteins, we have made an exception to this rule and shared with our consumers that Iams and Eukanuba products currently on retailers’ shelves are not formulated with any processed vegetable
proteins (wheat gluten, corn gluten or rice concentrate protein).
I wish I could be more helpful, but supplier information is proprietary and not shared outside the company.”
The phrase “currently on retailers’ shelves” is troublesome. In fact, the attitude of the company is troublesome. I won’t be buying IAMS again, that I know.
Comment by Suzi — May 23, 2007 @ 7:40 pm