WARNING TO PET OWNERS - 60 Mil Cont's of Pet Food Recalled

[memphis]

tongue-in-cheek press release also quoted from petconnection.com...

Recall of the FDA:

For Immediate Press Release

The entire staff of the FDA has been recalled. This includes all dates of issue and is a purely precautionary measure.

Only a few hundred heads have exploded during media events held by the FDA and it is important to note that less than 1% of the American population is affected by this recall. Only 16 of the people whose heads exploded are considered “officially” deceased and the total number of those killed by brain explosion may never be known. Mostly because we are not going to count them.

Amnesty International has provided proof that allowing the FDA to continue making media releases constitutes torture of a nature that violates the rules of the space time continuum and could result in early heat death of the universe.

Tests are ongoing to confirm this but results are not in yet, everyone forced to choose between listening to FDA media releases or hop naked into a barrel of rattlesnakes has chosen the snakes.

The executives of the FDA will be replaced by the 2007 graduating class of Mrs. Dingleberrys’
School for “Special” Children, most of whom can tie their own shoes and count to almost 12, thus assuring that the high academic standards required of the FDA will be improved by a factor of several hundred percent.

No further recalls are expected at this time.

Experienced FEMA staff is being used during the transition and the situation is going almost as smoothly as the evacuation of New Orleans. The American public can rest assured that the food on store shelves is just as safe as it was before the recall, possibly safer.

 

[Anna]

Harmony Farms Cans And Biscuits Recalled Due To Product Tampering

http://www.itchmo.com/read/harmony-farms-recalls-cans-and-biscuits_20070427#more-525


Interesting new twist.  Some of the pet food companies are claiming these ingredients were added to their product without their knowledge or permission.  They are calling that product tampering instead of just a regular recall.  Have noticed that on two of them.  They seem very steamed that this was done.  Maybe they should have more closely monitored what was being put into their feeds.

.

[Anna]

And canine caviar and mulligan stew are added.  I think these are some of the ones sold under the premise of detoxifying your pet.  HA!

http://www.itchmo.com/read/mulligan-stew-and-canine-caviar-dog-food-recalled_20070427


Note that I purchased pork neck bones and picnic roasts and then hogs are quarantined.  Maybe Carnut was right when he sarcastically said they were picking on me.  I am beginning to wonder.  I still have one more pup not doing well, not growing.  I do worry about her a lot but the others and the moms are all OK for now.

Sorry to just post links but it is late and I am tired.  

.

.

[Anna]

Anna, it looks like you are ahead of the FDA...I don't see Dr Fosters&Smith listed.  

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html

Having a kennel, I get lots of newsletters from various dog products and I believe that is where I first encountered their recall, from email they sent out to all who have bought food from them.

Sometimes, they are ahead of the FDA.  But because I get so many, I thought I should try to keep them posted.  Pretty soon they just might as well announce all dog and cat food recalled and start over.  Hopefully, whatever supplies of the bad stuff they had are now out of circulation.

.

[msmarple]

FDA widens Chinese import alert

The Food and Drug Administration is enforcing a new import alert that greatly expands its curtailment of some food ingredients imported from China, authorizing border inspectors to detain ingredients used in everything from noodles to breakfast bars.

The new restriction is likely to cause delays in the delivery of raw ingredients for the production of many commonly used products.

<snip>

The move reflects the FDA's growing unease with what the alert announcement called China's "manufacturing control issues" issues and that country's inability to ascertain what controls are in place to prevent food contamination. For example, the agency says that, after weeks of investigation, it still does not know what regions of China are affected or what firms there are major manufacturers of vegetable proteins.

Inspectors are now allowed to detain vegetable-protein imports from China because they may contain the chemical melamine. Melamine, used in the manufacture of plastics, was found in the wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate that has led to the recall of 5,300 pet food products.

Melamine's effects on humans, if ingested, is unclear. In fact, the chemical has not been found in earlier tests to be highly toxic, a fact that has scientists looking for second chemical agent that could be increasing its toxicity.

The agency for the first time also said it has received reports, which it has yet to confirm, that approximately 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs died after eating contaminated food. The only number of pet deaths that the FDA has confirmed thus far is 14.

An import alert of this breadth is rare. Before this new FDA action, only products from two Chinese companies that exported the melamine-tainted wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate had been detained.

Now for the products to reach U.S. foodmakers, the importers will have to prove to the FDA that they are safe. The ingredients restricted include wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn by-products, soy protein, soy gluten, mung-bean protein and amino acids.

The FDA has not reported finding melamine in food imports for humans from China, yet it last week launched sample testing "out of an abundance of caution," said chief medical officer David Acheson.

The new restriction may be what's needed to shore up consumer confidence that the FDA can protect the food supply, said Jean Kinsey, director of the Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota. Without such action, the public's distrust will grow, she said.

According to the alert notice posted on the FDA website Friday, the agency has so far taken 750 samples of wheat gluten and products made with wheat gluten and found 330 positive for melamine or melamine combined with another substance. It also found 27 positives out of 85 samples of rice protein concentrate and products made with rice protein concentrate.

All of the samples that tested positive were imported from China.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/2007-04-30-chinese-imports-usat_N.htm

[Anna]

Many of the same ingredients go into human baby formula that are found in puppy milk replacements.

This is the first I have seen on the milk replacements.  I am on my third 22 pound bag of this with my twenty pups.  If they recall Esbilac, I don't know what I will do wondering if I have permanently damaged the kidneys of these pups.  I have one who is still NOT growing.  I will keep her of course.  Remember the TV star Gary Coleman who is so small and his height is from a kidney condition.  I wonder if that is why she doesn't grow.  She eats and plays well.

Article:

See all latest news, recalls, entertainment, and local info.
« FDA Says 4,150 Pet Deaths ReportedDoes Life Imitate Art or Art Imitate Life? »Manna Pro Recalls Young Animal Feed
It’s not known if this is related to the melamine recalls, but Manna Pro is asking their customers to discard their Uni-Milk milk replacement product for young animals. Ingredient list does include soy protein isolate.

This recall was announced March 30 and is not listed on the FDA site.

(Thanks Ginger)

Full release after the jump.


Manna Pro has a heritage of quality and takes pride in maintaining the highest quality standards
for the products it produces and sells under the Manna Pro brand name.

Very recently, a few customers have reported that, when mixed with water, the Unimilk they
purchased turns light grey in color rather than the characteristic creamy white. As we have
investigated these consumer calls, we have identified that a single batch of Unimilk is affected
by this issue.

The lot codes for this product are listed below.

PLEASE IMMEDIATELY DESTROY ANY PRODUCT YOU HAVE WITH THESE LOT CODES.
Unimilk, 3.5# Poly Bag Unimilk, 10# Paper Bag
LOT CODE: AB707AZ LOT CODE: A020707AZ
LOT CODE: AB707BZ LOT CODE: A020707BZ
LOT CODE: AB707CZ LOT CODE: A020807AZ
LOT CODE: AB708AZ LOT CODE: A020807BZ
LOT CODE: AB708BZ LOT CODE: A020907AZ
LOT CODE: AB708CZ LOT CODE: A020907AZ
LOT CODE: AB709AZ LOT CODE: A021007AZ
LOT CODE: AB709BZ LOT CODE: A021007BZ
LOT CODE: AB709CZ LOT CODE: A021207AZ
LOT CODE: AB710AZ LOT CODE: A021207BZ
LOT CODE: AB710BZ
LOT CODE: AB710CZ
LOT CODE: AB712AZ
LOT CODE: AB712BZ
LOT CODE: AB712CZ

All Manna Pro products are Satisfaction Guaranteed, and we will be happy to offer you a full
refund. Simply cut the lot code numbers from the bottom of the bag, and send in to
Manna Pro Products, 707 Spirit 40 Park Dr., Suite 150, Chesterfield, MO 63005, attn: Suze L.
If you have a receipt from your purchase, please include it. If not, simply indicate what you
paid for the product and where you bought it, and we will issue your refund.

Please call with questions at 866/489-1500.

Updated 3/30/2007

Cities: All

[msmarple]

Never stops ...

http://health.msn.com/healthnews/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100161930&GT1=10008

FDA: Contaminated Pet Food Used in Chicken Feed

38 Indiana farms implicated; affected broiler chickens have already been consumed, officials say


TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- The potential threat to human health from contaminated pet food has now widened to include chickens, with U.S. health officials announcing that melamine-tainted pet product made its way into poultry feed at 38 Indiana farms.

Much of the adulterated feed was eaten in early February by broiler chickens that have since been sold and consumed nationally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a joint statement issued late Monday.

The melamine-contaminated feed was used at 30 broiler poultry farms and eight breeder poultry farms across Indiana; all of the broiler chickens have since been sold to outlets nationwide. The breeder chicken have been quarantined and may be euthanized, the FDA and USDA said. The agencies also warned that "as the investigation continues, additional farms will likely be identified that received contaminated feed."

The announcement comes on the heels of similar discoveries at hog farms across the United States. The USDA first announced on Thursday that meat from 345 hogs suspected of eating the contaminated feed had entered the U.S. food supply. Some 6,000 hogs suspected of eating the contaminated product have since been quarantined and meat from these animals will be withheld from the food supply, both agencies said.

"As with exposure from hogs fed contaminated pet food and for similar reasons related to the dilution of the contamination, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of illness after eating chicken fed the contaminated product is very low," the agencies said Monday night. "Because there is no evidence of harm to humans associated with consumption of chicken fed the contaminated product, no recall of poultry products processed from these animals is being issued."

In a similar vein, U.S. health officials have continued to reassure American consumers that pork products from hogs fed contaminated pet food were safe, even as reports surfaced that China has routinely added the contaminant melamine to its exported animal food supplements.

In a joint statement issued late Saturday, the FDA and USDA stressed that, "We are not aware of any human illness that has occurred from exposure to melamine or its byproducts." They added that they have also identified no illnesses in swine fed the salvage food tainted by melamine, which was imported from China as an additive to wheat gluten used in dog and cat food.

Melamine, a derivative of coal, is at the center of the United States' largest pet food recall, involving more than 60 million packages of 100 name-brand products. The chemical has been linked to the deaths of at least 16 pets and the illness of possibly thousands of animals.

In the Saturday statement, the FDA and the USDA said the possibility of human illness from eating swine exposed to melamine remains low for several reasons: "First, it is a partial ingredient in the pet food; second, it is only part of the total feed given to the hogs; third, it is not known to accumulate in the hogs, and the hogs excrete melamine in their urine; fourth, even if present in pork, pork is only a small part of the average American diet."

On Monday, The New York Times reported that Chinese producers routinely add melamine to wheat gluten and rice protein in animal feed products to falsely inflate levels of protein.

In interviews with agricultural workers and managers in China, the newspaper reported that animal feed producers have secretly added melamine to their feed for years because, during tests, it appears to be a protein, even though it doesn't add any nutritional benefits.

"Many companies buy melamine scrap to make animal feed, such as fish feed," Ji Denghui, general manager of the Fujian Sanming Dinghui Chemical Company, which sells melamine, told the Times. "I don't know if there's a regulation on it. Probably not. No law or regulation says 'don't do it,' so everyone's doing it. The laws in China are like that, aren't they? If there's no accident, there won't be any regulation."

On Thursday, China banned melamine from its food products, but rejected the charge that the substance caused the U.S. pet deaths, the Associated Press reported.

It's not clear how -- or even if -- melamine became fatal in pet food, because it's not believed to be particularly toxic. But U.S. law bans its presence in any form of food, the newspaper said.

The rice protein was imported to the United States by Wilbur-Ellis, an agricultural product importer and distributor. The FDA said it is continuing its investigation of the source of the adulterated pet food, including "tracing products distributed since August 2006 by Wilbur-Ellis throughout the distribution chain."

In their latest statement, the FDA and the USDA said that, as of April 26, they had identified sites in six states where contaminated pet food was received and used in feed given to hogs: California, Kansas, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah.

On Friday, FDA officials searched the facilities of a pet food manufacturer and one of its suppliers in the continuing probe of the contamination, the Associated Press reported.

The officials searched an Emporia, Kan., pet food plant operated by Menu Foods and the Las Vegas offices of ChemNutra Inc., the news service said, citing information supplied by the companies.

Menu Foods made many of the major brands of dog and cat foods that were recalled because of the melamine-contaminated wheat gluten. ChemNutra supplied Menu Foods with the wheat gluten, which was also imported from China but reportedly from a different supplier than the rice protein.

Both companies said they were cooperating with the investigation, the AP said.

Meanwhile, the USDA will compensate hog farmers affected by the tainted pet food, Kenneth Peterson, an assistant administrator for field operations at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, said during a Thursday teleconference.

"The pork and pork products from these animals will be destroyed," Peterson added. Each year, more than 105 million hogs are slaughtered in the United States, the AP said.

[nonesuche]

I almost hate to post this but........after hearing and seeing what msmarples just posted well I am. I have had one urinary tract infection in my entire life, yep lucky I guess but it was many years ago. In any event I eat a lot of chicken, far prefer it over beef but don't buy organic chicken due to the expense. I would if I could however and will now for sure. About two weeks ago when all of this began I had symptoms of a possible urinary tract infection. I put it off to drinking a new fruit flavored water and just went back to plain water, the symptoms disappeared but not immdiately. I don't drink carbonated sodas except once every blue moon and that's maybe 4 times a year?

anyway, now I am very concerned I was eating tainted meat, we shall see and of course, now I may never know.

[Jacqueline]

I almost hate to post this but........after hearing and seeing what msmarples just posted well I am. I have had one urinary tract infection in my entire life, yep lucky I guess but it was many years ago. In any event I eat a lot of chicken, far prefer it over beef but don't buy organic chicken due to the expense. I would if I could however and will now for sure. About two weeks ago when all of this began I had symptoms of a possible urinary tract infection. I put it off to drinking a new fruit flavored water and just went back to plain water, the symptoms disappeared but not immdiately. I don't drink carbonated sodas except once every blue moon and that's maybe 4 times a year?

anyway, now I am very concerned I was eating tainted meat, we shall see and of course, now I may never know.

None!   whasup my sistah.

[nonesuche]

you made me spew Jacq   too funny

[Mere]

Need to check everything....there was "wheat gluten" listed as
an ingredient on a product on my dinner tray... coming back from
Ireland....I noticed that numerous people checked and did not eat
it either....it was a pasta salad.

[nonesuche]

I agree MeMere the ramifications of this could be far-reaching. I think BT's the lucky one since she's had to monitor no gluten intake for her hubby which at least identifies what foods do contain gluten so she can recognize it? I like you, am reading every label now.

[Anna]

Menu Foods Adds 30 more cat and dog foods to the recall list.  The reason now being given is "cross contamination"!

This just never ends.  Yes, I think it is in the food chain for humans as well and may have been for a very long time.  While it may not cause humans to drop dead the way it does many animals who knows the long term effects of all this.

Here is a link to a spread sheet on the recalled items.  I can't get anybody to take mine back as I bought them from PetFoodDirect and they were shipped to me.  I don't want to incur further loss by paying t ship them back as I seriously doubt the refunds are in the mail as claimed.  Same for the stuff I had shipped from Jeffers.  Neither Del Monte nor Natural Balance will return my emails and their phones are busy or have recordings!

Link to new list:

http://tinyurl.com/2223zy

[dkpen]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for keeping us all informed on all these Pet Food recalls. So scarey to think who may be behind all of this. I do not feel it was an accident. I believe someone is evil and down right sick in the head to want to harm innocent dogs and cats.

I pray it won't be too late for our livestock and humans are not poisoned or our food contaminated by all this. Very scareeeey, as robots says.


Some happy words...

This past Saturday, April 21st, I adopted a very sweet and cute little bundle of happiness named "Moffet".  She was sent to the Florida Dachshund Rescue from a vet clinic. She was abandon by a lady who found Moffet on the side of the road after a hit and run from a car. She was found on "Moffet Road" in Mobile, Ala. She has a little hop every now and then in her back right leg but other than that, she is perfect.

I just love her and she fits right in with my other two babies. Moffet has the sweetest little expressions on her face . I am enjoying our new little addition to our family and can't believe I was blessed with Moffet. She now has a forever "Home".

I will post a couple pictures of Moffet on a later date for all to see. She is simply adorable.  

Finally got some pictures of my new addition to the family. Isn't she just the cutest?!?  Moffet is simply adorable and the best little baby.

I have been cooking for my babies lately. Using rice, string beans, carrots, chicken mixed with Pedigree small bites and olive oil, then stir frying it all. They love it!  

God bless~

[Tibrogargan]

dkpen she is just the sweetest looking little pup.  And it is so good to know she has a loving home after all her nasty experiences.  Give her a pat from me.

I used to cook my dogs meals - no small task as they were 3 German Shepherd Dogs.  Hope you are adding a little raw garlic in the rice mix before stir frying it.  Very good for dogs and they love the taste as well.

Good to see you posting again and to know your health is improving.  Take care

[dkpen]

Thanks Tib, I will have to get some raw garlic. Never thought of that.  

Thanks for the well wishes too. Yes, I am starting to be back to my ole' self and normal daily routines. Still can't lift anything to heavy or not running any marathons, but other than that, I'm much better.
Thanks again for the warm wishes!

God bless~

[nonesuche]

dkpen- that is a precious pup ! We have a rescue puppy and he's just a wonderful pet, I am glad you're feeling better and a new pet does much to help us heal I think.

I saw this today and it really concerned me, for now other countries are finding China's lack of export controls and testing, now impacting human medications globally with poisons???    

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/05/asia/web0505-toxic-46350.php

[yapperz1]

Anna if they do happen to have a recall on Esbilac, I recommend goats milk. It isn't exactly cheap but it is an excellent replacement for bitches milk. Very digestible.

[IndyDan]

Ok, here's my Uma in a cutesy pose - taken last year:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/24ecaz
http://preview.tinyurl.com/22ta98

10 - 15 lbs here, now she's 70 lbs!
A true sweety[/url]

[IndyDan]

And here's Uma in her Harley vest: http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n151/IndyDan/?action=view&current=Uma12-29-06.jpge Harley vest:

[/url]