| MORE OVERSIGHT OF PET FOOD URGED 04/07/07 |
WASHINGTON // Galvanized by an unprecedented pet food scare that has killed at least 16 dogs and cats, pet owners and their advocates have begun campaigns nationwide urging members to demand that government and industry take steps to prevent such dangerous episodes.
"I feel betrayed," said Bill Thompson, a Hunt Valley banker whose 3-year-old Leonberger dog, Darwin, fell ill after eating a now-recalled Nutro product four weeks ago. Thompson, who since then has spent Sundays cooking for his three dogs, said authorities should do more testing to detect contamination, not rely on complaints from pet owners. MORE ► |
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| CANADA'S MP OLIVIA CHOW CALLS FOR PET FOOD REGULATIONS 04/07/08 |
| A Canadian Member of Parliament has stepped up to the plate, calling upon the Canadian government to create mandatory regulations and inspections to ensure the quality and safety of pet food. |
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| NEW SITE: CANADIAN CAMPAIGN FOR PET FOOD REGULATION 04/06/07 |
| A new website, www.petfoodcampaign.blogspot.com, launched today, 04/06/07, calling for citizen action: "Canadians need to band together and stand firm in our demand that the pet food industry in Canada is regulated once and for all." |
| This site was created in response to the need for regulation in the pet food industry in Canada. Most of us have no idea about the state of pet food regulation until we are faced with illness in our pets. Now, with the recent Menu Foods recall, more and more Canadians – those with sick and those with healthy pets - are questioning the safety and quality of what we are feeding our pets. We need to tell the government that this is not acceptable. Please contact your elected representatives and let them know that you care about this issue. |
| The site provides several sample letters, links and more. VISIT ► |
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| DEL MONTE PRODUCTS EXPANDS RECALL LIST - MORE DATES 04/06/07 |
| SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a precautionary measure and in continued cooperation with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Del Monte Pet Products modified its voluntary recall list today to include additional select code dates in the U.S. market only. No new brands are included in this update. |
| The following product codes and dates are in addition to the codes and dates previously identified in the Del Monte Pet Products voluntary recall: |
Jerky Treats Beef Flavor
TP7B16
Aug 16 08
Ol’ Roy Beef Flavor Jerky Strips
TP7B08
Aug 08 08
Ol’ Roy Beef Flavor Snack Sticks
TP7C10
Sep 07 08 |
Dollar General Beef Flavored Jerky Strips
TP7C05 TP7C07 TP7C08
Sep 02 08 Sep 04 08 Sep 05 08
Dollar General Beef Flavored Beef Sticks
TP7C08 TP7C09 TP7C10
Sep 05 08 Sep 06 08 Sep 07 08
Happy Tails Beef Flavor Beef Sticks
TP7C08 TP7C09
Sep 05 08 Sep 06 08 |
| The press release contains a complete and updated list of recalled Del Monte pet foods and treats. PRESS RELEASE ► |
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| MICHIGAN UPDATE: 153 PETS SICKENED; 49 DEAD 04/06/07 |
| Thanks to Mike for emailing us this update: |
| MVMA (Michigan Veterinary Medical Association) surveyed members via email on March 27. As of April 6th, 155 members responded. The following results were reported by these members on animals they have examined who have consumed recalled Menu Foods pet food: |
- 112 suspected cases of CATS in various stages of kidney disease
- 41 suspected cases of DOGS in various stages of kidney disease
- 33 suspected cases of CATS that have died
- 16 suspected cases of DOGS that have died
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| CBS-5 SAN FRAN NEWS VIDEO FEATURING PC's CHRISTIE KEITH 04/06/07 |
| CBS-5 (KPIX San Francisco) ran an update on the Menu Foods recall on their 11 p.m. newscast last night (04/05/07). Featured in the video is Sen. Dick Durbin's 04/05/06 press conference and Pet Connection's own Christie Keith. ARTICLE & VIDEO ► |
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| FDA INVESTIGATING IF MELAMINE ADDITION WAS DELIBERATE 04/06/07 |
| CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 show, in an interview with the FDA, reports on the possibility that the addition of melamine to the wheat gluten might have been intentional, motivated by profit (air date & time: April 5, 2007 - 22:00 ET) |
| How and where the melamine got into the wheat gluten is still a mystery. But the investigation took a new turn today, when the FDA told CNN it is looking whether there could have been a profit motive for deliberately introducing melamine into the wheat gluten. In other words, it might not have been an accident and may have been about money. |
| (on camera): That's right. Until now, the assumption has been that this was an accidental contamination, because melamine is used in plastics and pesticides, and has no business in pet food. However, the chemical could potentially be used to raise protein levels in the gluten, which could increase the price or make it easier to sell. FULL TRANSCRIPT ► |
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This is theory which Howl 911 has been exploring for several days. On March 30, 2007, we received a tip from one of our readers about research a Chinese group has conducted on wheat gluten, using an enzyme, transglutaminase (TGase, for short), to enzymatically modify wheat gluten to increase it's gelling capacitiy by introducing more protein-protein crosslinks. Increasing the gelling capacity (as measured in water absorption rate) is advantageous in that one requires less wheat gluten to achieve the desired gelling effect. This means manufacturers could get by with using less wheat gluten in their formulations, thereby decreasing the cost of production.
But what does this have to do with melamine? We did some.googling and found other research articles which have used melamine as the crosslinking agent in other foodstuffs, notably for corn protein (known as "zein") and in soy. As melamine is likely a cheaper crosslinking agent than is transglutaminase, it would make economical sense that a wheat gluten manufacturer or a pet food manufacturer would explore the process of chemical modification over enzymatic modification. Robert J. Russell, Ph.D., has also been investigating the angl of chemical modification of wheat gluten. Dr. Russell's thoughts on the subject (The Gluten Story, Pt. 1 ) have been posted over at Itchmo's blog. |
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DURBIN CALLS FOR SENATE HEARING ON TAINTED PET FOOD 04/05/07
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| CHIGAGO TRIBUNE - As officials announced an expanded pet food recall today, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said that the Senate will hold an oversight hearing on the investigation and regulatory mechanisms that govern the pet food industry. |
| During a press conference today in Wicker Park, Durbin (D-Ill.) said the role of the Food and Drug Administration needs to be expanded to prevent future threats to humans and animals, and to penalize companies that delay reporting health issues. |
| "The FDA is like a fire department that is only called after the house is burned down," Durbin said. "We have to change that system." |
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| FDA: HEALTH HAZARD ALERT FOR PET CHEWS (SALMONELLA) 04/05/07 |
| Unrelated to the Menu Foods/Wheat Gluten recall. The FDA announced today the following health hazard alert for pet chews. (Thanks to Petsitusa for the heads up on this.) |
| The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers not to use American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chews and Dog Chews manufactured and distributed by T.W. Enterprises, Ferndale, WA, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, which can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination, in people, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Consumers who have the pet treats manufactured or distributed by T.W. Enterprises listed below should not feed them to their pets, but instead dispose of them in a safe manner (e.g., in a securely covered trash receptacle). |
American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chew and Dog Chew (made from all American beef pizzle)
Following is a list of the affected products:
- A.B. Small Chew, small, 3-4 inch
- A.B. Puppy Chew, 4-6 inch
- A.B. Dog Chew Medium, 6 inch
- A.B. Dog Chew Large, 10 inch
- A.B. Dog Chew XL, 13 inch
- A.B. Dog Chew Mega, 16 inch
- A.B. Dog Chew Jumbo, 26 inch
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NEW RECALL: SUNSHINE MILLS INC. RECALLS DOG BISCUITS 04/05/07
COMPLETE LIST OF SUNSHINE MILLS RECALLED PRODUCTS | PRESS RELEASE ►
WALMART'S OL'ROY BRAND TREATS & OTHERS INCLUDED IN RECALL| MORE ► |
| The recall of pet foods and treats contaminated with an industrial chemical expanded Thursday to include dog biscuits made by an Alabama company. |
| The Food and Drug Administration said Sunshine Mills Inc. is recalling dog biscuits made with imported Chinese wheat gluten. Testing has revealed the wheat gluten, a protein source, was contaminated with melamine ... |
| Sunshine, of Red Bay, Ala., sells pet foods and treats under its own brands as well as private labels sold by grocery, mass merchant and dollar stores, according to its Web site. A list of recalled products was not immediately available. (Ed. note: Sure would be nice to know which private labels this recall involves! UPDATE: Itchmo has some of the Sunshine Mills treats pictured, for easier identification) |
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| MENU FOODS EXPANDS RECALL TO INCLUDE MORE DATES 04/05/07 |
| Thanks to Mike for the heads up. Buried in the above Forbes.com article (dated 04/05/07) is the following: |
| Also Thursday, Menu Foods, a major manufacturer of brand- and private-label wet pet foods expanded its original recall to include a broader range of dates, the FDA said. |
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| Ed. note: Sure enough, a check of Menu Foods recall page indicates the cat and dog food products listed under the "Variety or Multi-Packs" heading have been appended to say, "Last updated, April 5, 2007" though there is no explanation of what the specific updates are. We can only assume the product spreadsheets within the variety or multi-packs have been updated to include more dates, as the FDA has claimed. |
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| All Menu Foods pet food with ChemNutra wheat gluten voluntarily recalled |
| TORONTO, April 5 /PRNewswire/ - In response to a news release - issued by ChemNutra Inc. during the evening of April 3, 2007 - Menu Foods today voluntarily expanded its pet food recall for selected "cuts and gravy" pet food products, manufactured back to November 8, 2006. ChemNutra Inc., a former supplier of wheat gluten to Menu Foods, announced a recall of all wheat gluten it imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China. As a result, Menu Foods today announced an expansion of its recall to include all products manufactured with wheat gluten purchased from ChemNutra Inc. which Menu Foods' records show was first used on November 8, 2006 and last used on March 6, 2007. As a result of actions previously taken by Menu Foods, the vast majority of the products affected by this expansion are already off retailers' shelves. No new brands have been added. A total of 20 varieties have been added to the recall list and the additional varieties are listed below. All Menu Foods products not made with the recalled wheat gluten are safe to consume. A complete and updated list of recalled products is available at the Menu Foods website at http://www.menufoods.com. |
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| DR. MICHAEL FOX: A GENETIC ENGINEERED FOOD DISASTER? 04/05/07 |
| Veterinarian Dr. Michael Fox offers his opinion about the contaminated wheat gluten and the need for mass reform within the pet food industry. Here a couple of excerpts: |
| Veterinary toxicologists with the ASPCA and American College of Internal Veterinary Medicine shared my concern that there may be some other food contaminant (s) in addition to the aminopterin that was sickening and killing many pets. Experts were not convinced that the finding of rat poison contamination was the end of the story ... |
| I believe that there is evidence of gross negligence, not simply on the part of the pet food industry, but by all who are responsible for food quality and safety in the global market that is clearly dysfunctional. The Pet Food Institute should start an emergency fund to compensate all veterinary expenses incurred as a result of this---and any future---mass poisonings of people’s beloved animal companions. |
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| FDA DEFIES CONGRESS - WILL CLOSE HALF THEIR TESTING LABS 04/05/07 |
| In view of the current pet food recall and criticism of the FDA for failing to act expeditiously, this news comes as a shocker -- particularly disturbing and relevant to the recall, is the last paragraph. |
| WASHINGTON, D.C. —Shrugging off congressional objections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will immediately move to close more than half of its laboratories across the country, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The closures will be completed during the next few months, before the new Congress can act to block the shutdowns through the appropriations bill for the next fiscal year ... |
| FDA specialists have argued that eliminating laboratories will slow agency response time to outbreaks or attacks, as samples may have to be transported long distances. In addition, closing laboratories located near ports or large food distribution centers may reduce the agency’s ability to uncover contamination or other hazards before the effects ripple deeply through the country’s food chain. |
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| KIRO 710, THE DAVID GOLDSTEIN RADIO SHOW 04/05/07 |
| Last night (April 4th), Itchmo's Ben Huh and Petconnection's Christie Keith were interviewed on David Goldstein's Seattle-based talk-radio show. Spocko's Brain has the audio files uploaded, available in MP3 or Window's Media Player formats. |
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| CHINA REJECTS BLAME FOR PET FOOD RECALL 04/05/07 |
| Thanks to Paulbos and Petconnection for this one: |
| SHANGHAI: China said Thursday that it had no record of exporting any agricultural products that could have tainted the pet food that has been linked to the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs in the United States. |
| The Chinese government said that wheat gluten, which has been linked to a pet food recall in North America, had not been exported from China to the United States or Canada. The government also disputed some reports that a chemical called Aminopterin, a rat poison, could have entered the pet food supplies in North America from China. The government said the chemical is not used in rat poison in China ... |
| The statements from China have only deepened the mystery surrounding the massive pet food recalls in the North America. They also seem to be exposing flaws in the global food chain. |
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| "WHEAT GLUTEN NOT SOLE SOURCE OF PET FOOD POISONING" 04/04/07 |
Toronto Daily News, April 4, 2007 - Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to blame tainted wheat gluten for recent cat and dog illnesses and deaths, a mounting number of complaints about sick and dying animals who ate only dry food that did not contain wheat gluten strongly suggests another source of contamination.
Evidence from reputable laboratories indicates that an excessive amount of vitamin D in pet food may be to blame. Vitamin D overdoses produce symptoms similar to those seen in animals who recently have become sick or died after consuming only dry foods. MORE ► |
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| SENATOR DURBIN: NEWS CONFERENCE ON PET FOOD SAFETY 04/04/07 |
| Formal announcement from Sen. Durbin's office (pdf file): |
Thursday, April 5, 2007
2:30 PM
Wicker Park
(north of field house)
1425 N. Damen
Chicago, IL |
| Senator Durbin will discuss the Menu Foods recall, the FDA's regulation of the pet food industry and the impact on pets and their owners across the nation. He will announce plans to work with Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) to hold a Congressional hearing on the recall when the Senate reconvenes. |
| Pet owners are encouraged to attend the news conference with their pets (dogs and cats are welcome). |
For more information, please contact
Senator Durbin’s office at 312-353-4952. |
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| MICHIGAN UPDATE: 144 PETS SICKENED; 46 DEAD 04/04/07 |
Apr 3, 2007 5:20 PM LANSING, Mich. (AP) - An ongoing survey of Michigan veterinarians suggests cats and dogs from several parts of the state might have been sickened by potentially tainted pet food involved in national recalls.
At least 33 cats and 13 dogs in the state that ate recalled pet food have died from suspected cases of kidney disease, according to the survey by the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association. Another 106 cats and 38 dogs were in various stages of kidney disease as of Tuesday. MORE ► |
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| CNN VIDEO: SUBSTANDARD FACILITIES OF CHINA SUPPLIER 04/04/07 |
| Posted on CNN April 4, 2007. From one of our readers: "Go to the green banner that says "watch" and click on "Toxic Pet Food Traced to China" for a view of the dilapidated warehouse at Xuzhou Anying. (Note: video would not open for us in Firefox; Internet Explorer required.) VIDEO ► |
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| UNIV. OF GUELPH: UPDATE #4 ON SUSPECTED FOOD TOXICITIES 04/04/07 |
Thanks to one of our readers for alerting us to this update, issued April 2, 2007 by the University of Guelph's Animal Health Laboratory.
melamine |
| ► Investigations continue in Canada and the USA, and the suspected cause remains melamine, an industrial chemical used as a fertilizer and to make plastics. |
| ► We have detected melamine in suspect wet pet food and in crystals in the urine of affected cats, but have not detected melamine in dry pet food. |
| ► A causative link between melamine and acute renal failure has not been confirmed. |
| ► We suggest that pet owners or veterinarians hold pet food packaging (pouches, bags, cans, etc.), and freeze food samples, should further investigation be warranted. |
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| CHEMNUTRA ANNOUNCES NATIONWIDE WHEAT GLUTEN RECALL 04/04/07 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --Las Vegas, NV -- April 3, 2007 -- ChemNutra Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada, yesterday recalled all wheat gluten it had imported from one of its three Chinese wheat gluten suppliers – Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd.
The wheat gluten ChemNutra recalled was all shipped from China in 25 kg. paper bags, and distributed to customers in the same unopened bags. The bags were all labeled "Wheat Gluten Batch No.: _______ Net Weight: 25 kg Gross Weight: 25.1 kg Made in China". The batch numbers included in the recall are 20061006, 20061027, 20061101, 20061108, 20061122, 20061126, 20061201, 20061202, 20061203, 20061204, 20061205, 20061206, 20061208, 20061221, 20070106, 20070111, 20070116, and 20070126. FULL PRESS RELEASE ► |
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| CLARIFICATION: BLUE BUFFALO PRODUCTS NOT UNDER RECALL 04/04/07 |
On April 2, 2007, Howl 911 posted a headline regarding Blue Buffalo's use of menadione in their formulations. Beneath the headline, we included information from The Dog Food Project's website, citing safety concerns for menadione, a synthetic form of vitamin K (also know as Vit. K3), a supplement in many of Blue Buffalo's formulations. Howl 911 wishes to emphasize that Blue Buffalo is not under recall -- which is why their products are not on our list of foods which have been either recalled or otherwise implicated in causing illness or death in cats and/or dogs.
That said, Howl 911 stands behind its decision to post the alert on menadione as there is a large body of scientific evidence which supports the Dog Food Project's claims of menadione toxicity. It is also an irrefutable fact that the FDA has banned the use of menadione in OTC supplements for humans and that several EU countries have imposed similar bans. A quick google search for menadione illustrates that menadione's toxicity is a generally accepted fact (here, here, and here). In fact, a search of the FDA's website for "menadione" produced a July 2006 document, "Food Additive Status" (produced by the CFSAN/Office of Food Additive Safety), which stated the following with respect to the current FDA approval status of menadione dimethylphyrimdinol bisulfite (the form of menadione Blue Buffalo uses in both their dog and cat food formulations):
menadione |
| Menadione dimethylphyrimdinol bisulfite (2-hydroxy-4, 6- dimethyl pyrimidinol salt of menadione) - FEED, REG, 2.0 g/ton - As nutritional suppl in chicken & turkey feed for prevention of vitamin K deficiency 573.620; 10.0 g/ton - In swine feed - 573.620 |
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Please note that the above passage states menadione has been approved as a supplement for "chicken & turkey feed" and for "swine feed" -- it does not say that menadione has been approved by the FDA for use in pet food as a supplement. Try as we may, we could not find on the FDA's site any mention of approval of menadione for use in pet foods. If any of our readers has information to the contrary, please email us and we will include a correction to this posting.
In conclusion, Howl 911 believes, as do many, that menadione is an unnecessary and potentially harmful additive. Hence, we are adding menadione to our list of "ingredients to avoid" (which includes the chemical preservatives ethoxyquin, BHT and BHA). |
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Ed's note: This clarification is in response to an email received April 3, 2007 from Richard E. MacLean, the general counsel for Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., threating to sue Howl 911 for "defamation." Howl 911 firmly believes that consumers have the right to know what exactly is in their pet's food and the potential risks certain ingredients might pose. As stated above, Howl 911 stands behind the decision to post the information alert about menadione. In the interest of our readers, we have posted Blue Buffalo's threatening email, unedited and in its entirety. |
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| U.S. IMPORTER OF TOXIC WHEAT GLUTEN IDENTIFIED 04/03/07 |
| Thanks to our readers for the many emails tipping us off to this breaking development. It's awfully interesting how the AP headline shouts out their reassurance ("Pet food contaminant not in human food") when one considers a quote by the FDA in this morning's Boston Globe ("Suspect gluten went to plants that make products for people, FDA says.") So who is telling the truth here? And, as another reader points out, the accuracy of the statement made by Stephen Miller, the CEO of ChemNutra, is highly questionable, as we know for a fact that, 1) Del Monte received the toxic wheat gluten, and 2) Del Monte, as everyone knows (except perhaps Stephen Miller), manufactures human food as well as pet food. |
| WASHINGTON - None of the contaminated wheat gluten that led to the U.S. recall of pet food went to manufacturers of food for humans, the ingredient's importer said Tuesday. |
| The Chinese wheat gluten imported by ChemNutra Inc. all went to companies that make pet foods, Stephen Miller, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas company, told The Associated Press. Miller declined to identify what companies ChemNutra supplied. |
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| ANDERSON COOPER 360: TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2007, 10:00 P.M.ET 04/03/07 |
| From CNN's website, tonight's airing of Anderson Cooper 360: What's killing our pets - and who's responsible? Should our food supply be the next concern? "AC 360°" is keeping them honest, tonight 10 ET. |
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| DAILY KOS DIARY: THE TAINTED WHEAT COVER-UP AT FDA 04/03/07 |
| Daily Kos Diary Entry by AmericanRiverCanyon: |
Wheat Gluten, the protein extracted from the wheat kernel, is indeed used heavily by processed food manufacturers of human foods. Because I don't eat it, I'm slightly "more aware than the average bear" when it comes to having this knowlege of just how many of our American food products HAVE the stuff. Besides being used in many baked goods to add texture, and obviously bread, it's in iced tea mix, vanilla powder, cereals like honey bunches of oats, some ketchups, canned soups, beef jerkey, BBQ spice rubs, lunchmeat, processed cheese, flavored yogurts, sauces, gravies, some artificial sweeteners, flavored tofu, candy bars, it's injected into your thanksgiving turkey, it's in manufactured salad dressing, TV dinners, butter sauces at restaurants, many canned spaghetti sauces, meatloaf fillers, au jus sauce on prime rib, etc. ... |
| Now, imagine if you're the FDA, and you have an imported tainted gluten problem. Would you be eager to share that problem with the American Consumer, given that ....gulp... incomplete list I just made up off the top of my head? |
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| MICHIGAN VETS REPORT 135 PETS SICKENED; 38 DEAD 04/03/07 |
A survey of [2,000] state veterinarians suggests the effects of possibly tainted dog or cat food may be more deadly than some thought, with at least 38 suspected deaths of cats and dogs in Michigan ...
Overall, 41 percent of those who responded said they had seen cases of kidney failure tied to the tainted food. MORE ► |
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| GLUTEN WENT TO PLANTS THAT MAKE PRODUCTS FOR HUMANS 04/03/07 |
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Tainted wheat gluten that triggered a massive nationwide pet food recall also ended up in processing plants that prepare food consumed by people, the Food and Drug Administration said yesterday. While agency leaders offered assurances that the nation's food supply remains safe, they said they cannot yet completely rule out contamination of human food by the suspect wheat gluten, which contained melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides.
According to import records, the wheat gluten was shipped to the United States from Nov. 3, 2006 to Jan. 23 of this year and contained "minimal labeling" to indicate whether it was intended for humans or animals. The vast majority went to pet food manufacturers and distributors, according to the FDA. But some of the processing plants that remain under FDA scrutiny make both human and pet food. MORE ► |
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| PROCTER & GAMBLE LAUNCHES MASSIVE AD CAMPAIGN 04/02/07 |
| Thanks to a reader for pointing us to this short press release in CNN Money today. |
DAYTON, Ohio (AP)--A massive recall of pet food has prompted Procter and Gamble Co. (PG) to take out full-page ads in nearly 60 newspapers. |
| Cincinnati-based P&G makes the Iams and Eukanuba pet food brands. It says the ads appearing in papers Tuesday and Wednesday feature an open letter reassuring customers that they can feel safe buying the products now on store shelves. |
| Iams and Eukanuba are among the nearly 100 brands of pet food affected by the recall, which followed the recent deaths of dogs and cats. |
| In its letter, P&G said it has worked with retailers to make sure recalled products were removed from stores. The company also says it has suspended production of pet food at a plant that may have been a source of the problems. |
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| FDA BEGINS TESTING HUMAN FOODS WITH WHEAT GLUTEN 04/03/07 |
| Today, Fox 12 Oregon reported the following: |
| The Food and Drug Administration said it’s beginning an “across the board” investigation into human foods that contain wheat gluten. |
| An FDA spokesman said Safeway recently held up distribution of certain foods, including bread, so it could be tested. |
| A WinCo store in Hillsboro also withheld some of its bread for testing. A worker there told FOX 12 on Sunday that “due to the possible recall of certain ingredients, they are pulling certain products off the shelves until the FDA says everything is safe.” |
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| RECALL OF PET FOOD COULD EXPAND 04/03/07 |
| USA Today reports the following -- as if we didn't have enough to be paranoid about, now we're told there could be still more brands of pet food recalled, and that melamine may not be the toxin-of-interest but merely a marker for some other as-yet-unidentified poison. |
| More pet-food makers could join the four that have already recalled cat and dog food, two weeks after the first recall set off a panic among pet owners, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday. |
| Melamine, which hasn't been documented to be highly toxic, may be a marker for something else in the gluten, says Neal Bataller at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. |
| Pet Food Express, a chain based in the San Francisco Bay Area, says it will ask its pet-food makers to supply a list of ingredients and where they come from, says Mark Witriol, co-owner. |
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| OREGON'S TOLL OF SICK OR DEAD PETS NEARS 100 04/02/07 |
Breaking news from The Oregonian, published 04/02/07. (Ed's note: And this is just from one state -- normalize this against the total U.S. population and then multiply this times 50! This is a tragedy of eipic proportions.) |
| The toll of sickened or dead pets in Oregon grew again today, raising the total to 98 including 35 deaths. |
| Emilio DeBess, Oregon's public health veterinarian, said the total includes 30 dogs and 68 cats. Among those, 13 dogs and 22 cats have died. |
| These numbers are likely to rise even more, DeBess said: "I get the feeling that this is going to get bigger." |
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| REP. KUCINICH (D-OH) DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM THE FDA 04/02/07 |
| On March 27, 2007, Howl 911 reported on Rep. Kucinich's letter to Menu Foods. Now, according to Raw Story, Rep. Kucinich is putting some very hard questions to the FDA: |
| Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking pointed questions about the pet food recall that has now affected 60 million cans of food and at least four pet food manufacturers. |
| "Millions of American families have a right to be assured that everything possible is being done to protect the health of their beloved family pets and to determine how in the world the pet food supply could have been contaminated," Kucinich said in a statement released RAW STORY today. "We must also find out when the FDA officials first learned that our nation's pets were in danger of being poisoned by their own pet food." |
| The letter demands information about how the FDA learned of the tainted food and what action was taken. |
| MORE FROM RAW STORY (including the full text of Kucinich's letter to the FDA) |
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| PETA CALLS FOR FDA COMMISSIONER'S RESIGNATION 04/02/07 |
| In a letter to the FDA, dated 04/02/07, PETA has called for the resignation of Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, commissioner of the FDA, due to his "failure to ensure that the FDA does its job, resulting in the deaths and suffering of dogs and cats." Click HERE to read the full letter. |
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| THE DOG FOOD PROJECT: MENADIONE IN BLUE BUFFALO FOODS 04/02/07 |
| Unrelated to the Menu Foods recall, The Dog Food Project website posted the following Blue Buffalo Dog Food notice on 03/30/07: |
In a news update from 10/12/06 (which has been removed from the News Archive as of today), I posted that menadione had been removed from Blue Buffalo dog food products labeled with a "Best used by" date of October 07 and thereafter.
Unfortunately this information appears to be incorrect, and menadione is apparently still present in at least some, if not all of Blue Buffalo's dry and canned dog and cat foods, as well as "health bar" biscuits ...
If you are concerned about menadione in your dog's diet, it's probably best to avoid these Blue Buffalo products as long as you still see either menadione in any form or "vitamin K supplement" listed on the label.
Not that I'm very happy with the state of pet food regulation in this country to begin with, but it would be nice if we could rely on all companies at least being familiar with the AAFCO manual. |
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| What is menadione? |
Menadione, also known as vitamin K3, is a synthetic version of vitamin K
Menadione is added as an inexpensive vitamin K supplement in commercial foods ... The common statement as to why it is added is "to help with blood clotting", yet it is scientifically proven that the effectivity of menadione on blood clotting is inferior.
The National Research Council was not able to demonstrate a dietary requirement for vitamin K in dogs during tests when natural ingredients were fed.
- has never been researched or specifically approved for long term use, such as in pet food
- has been banned from use in food and supplements for human use in many European countries due to serious side effects, including permanent damage and deaths
- FDA has banned synthetic vitamin K from over-the-counter supplements because of its high toxicity
Menadione side effects include::
- causes cytotoxicity in liver cells
- causes formation of radicals from enzymes of leucocytes, with the consequence of cytotoxic reactions
- considerably weakens the immune system
- possible mutagenic effects
- damages the natural vitamin K cycle
- has no effect on coumarin derivatives, which are often present in commercial food due to mold contamination (toxic when ingested)
- causes hemolytic anemia and hyperbilirubinemia, not just linked to large doses
- disturbs the level of calcium ions (Ca2+) in the body, which is an important factor fibrinolysis
- is directly toxic in high doses (vomiting, albuminuria), unlike natural vitamin K
- builds up in tissue and has been detected in eggs, meat and milk of animals supplemented with menadione derivatives
- causes irritation of skin and mucous membranes
- causes allergic reactions and eczema
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| CHINESE EXPORTER: "THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXPORTERS" 04/02/07 |
Associated Press reports: Geng said the company based in the eastern province of Jiangsu had not manufactured the gluten but had instead bought it from companies in neighbouring provinces. She said Xuzhou Anying sold it onward to another Jiangsu company, Suzhou Textile Import and Export Co. “There are many other exporters and I don’t see why they would just blame us,” Geng said.
Comment from Itchmo.com: It could be just another way to deflect the blame, but if it’s true, the real magnitude of the contamination is still unknown and raises the possibility that it may have gotten into the human food supply as well as other pet foods. The FDA is currently only blocking shipments of wheat gluten from XABTDC. |
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| NESTLE PURINA'S NEW $10M PET FOOD PLANT ... IN CHINA 04/02/07 |
| In view of the damning evidence the Menu Foods recall has dredged up regarding food imports from China, it is disturbing to learn that just last month Nestle Purina opened up a new, multi-million dollar pet food manufacturing plant in China. |
| Swiss-based Nestle S.A's pet food plant in Tianjin Municipality in north China began operating on Friday. |
| Nestle invested 80 million yuan (10.26 million U.S. dollars) in the plant and it has an annual production ability of 20,000 tons. It is the company's first pet food plant in China. |
| The plant will use local-purchased raw materials including bean, corn and wheat. Its products will be sold in supermarkets, pet clinics and pet shops. |
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Considering how poorly regulated foodstuffs from China are, it is shocking to imagine Nestle Purina pumping out 20,000 tons of potentially poisonous or otherwise adulterated pet food. How many dogs and cats -- beyond the thousands reported in the Menu Foods scandal -- will suffer or die as a result of Nestle Purina's China production plant and use of "local-purchased raw materials"?
In light of the news that the tainted wheat gluten was a product of China, one U.S. pet food company, Natura, released a video statement by their CEO promising that Natura will no longer use raw materials from China in their formulas. Another company, Fromme Family Foods, whose wet food is manufactured in China, offered the following explanation as to why they chose a production plant in China: |
| It is not cheaper to make our product in China. The reality is it is not possible for us to make our product in the USA. We searched for a plant for 2 years before we looked outside of the country. |
| Our canned products are made in a human food plant which means every single ingredient allowed in the vicinity of the plant must be certified for human consumption. |
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The problem we at Howl 911 have with the above statement is the "certified for human consumption" -- as if this is supposed to be reassuring. It is not, not when one considers that the tainted wheat gluten which may be responsible for so many pets' deaths was certified as "food grade," i.e., for human consumption. Moreover, the Australian report which Howl 911 referenced in an earlier post, pointed out many instances of tainted foods and other quality issues concerning foods imported from China -- all of which were intended for human consumption. And, yet, in spite of China's horrendous record of food safety, Nestle Purina has forged ahead with their $10 Million pet food plant, knowingly subjecting millions of unsuspecting pets to any number of potentially lethal toxins.
Both Natura and Fromme's Family Foods have made statements regarding the lack of acceptable production facilities available for pet food manufacturing. Natura contracted with Menu Foods because of lack of choices, while Fromme Family Foods elected to outsource to China. It begs the question, then, if Menu Foods, the major manufacturer of wet foods in North America, is no longer an option, who is left? I suspect that Nestle Purina will be a likely choice for those pet food companies who choose to terminate their relationship with Menu Foods. So for pet food companies in search of a manufacturer, It may well be a choice of the lesser of two evils: Menu Foods or Nestle Purina.
Postscript to our readers from down under: Nestle Purina recently (Nov. 2006) purchased the Australian pet food company, Green's Foods. Let the buyer beware. |
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| TAINTED WHEAT GLUTEN SOLD AS "FOOD GRADE" 04/01/07 |
| From the Huffington Post - David Goldstein's blog: Del Monte Foods has confirmed that the melamine-tainted wheat gluten used in several of its recalled pet food products was supplied as a "food grade" additive, raising the likelihood that contaminated wheat gluten might have entered the human food supply ... Wheat gluten is sold in both "food grade" and "feed grade" varieties. Either may be used in pet food, but only "food grade" gluten may be used in the manufacture of products meant for human consumption. MORE ► |
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| SENATOR DURBIN'S (D-IL) PRESS RELEASE 04/01/07 |
| Copy of Sen. Durbin's press release (pdf) regarding the Menu Foods recall, dated April 1, 2007. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.) Sen. Durbin held a press conference today, revealing much greater detail of his call for an investigation. We are still awaiting an electronic file of the video and will post it here on Howl 911 as soon as it is available. |
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| FDA ISSUES IMPORT ALERT; IDENTIFIES CHINA SUPPLIER 04/01/07 |
A pet parent received the following alert today, 4/1/07, from the FDA Office of Regulatory Affairs. The alert identifies the Chinese supplier of the melamine-tainted wheat gluten.
(See Itchmo's blog for more on this alert.) |
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A #99-26, IMPORT ALERT #99-26,
"DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND INTENSIFIED COVERAGE OF WHEAT GLUTEN DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MELAMINE"
TYPE OF ALERT: Detention Without Physical Examination
Firms and products currently under detention without physical examination:
CHINA (CN)
Date DWPE 3/30/07
Product /Code: Wheat gluten 02F[][]08
Firm:
Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd.
Wangdian Industrial Zone,
Peixian, CN-32, China 221623
FEI# 2000023594
MUCH MORE ► |
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