[ SHOWGSD-L ] FDA- FOOD RECALL LATEST (NOW HOGS ALSO ADDED)
- From: MORGAN LEWIS <shadowland22000@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: amergsd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, germanshepherds4show@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, gsdgeneticdefects@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, gsd showlist <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Louise Cauthen <cauthenl@xxxxxxxxx>, Barb Williams <santanagsd1954@xxxxxx>, Dawn Restuccia <windwych@xxxxxxxxx>, Debbie Gae Davis <davisd@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:29:45 -0700 (PDT)
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FDA asks if pet food tainted on purpose By ANDREW BRIDGES, Associated
Press Writer Fri Apr 20, 1:24 AM ET
WASHINGTON - Imported ingredients used in recalled pet food may have been
intentionally spiked with an industrial chemical to boost their apparent
protein content, federal officials said Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT
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That's one theory being pursued by the [input] [input] [input] Food
and Drug Administration
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News | News Photos | Images | Web
' name=c3> [input] [input] [input] Food and Drug Administration as it
investigates how the chemical, melamine, contaminated at least two ingredients
used to make more than 100 brands of dog and cat foods.
In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm under quarantine
after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing was under way
to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American
Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture
said.
So far, melamine's been found in both wheat gluten and rice protein
concentrate imported from China. Media reports from South Africa suggest a
third pet food ingredient, corn gluten, used in that country also was
contaminated with melamine. That tainted ingredient has not been found in the
United States, the FDA said.
FDA investigators were awaiting visas that would allow them to visit the
Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced.
"Melamine was found in all three of those ? it would certainly lend
credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the
theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China," Stephen Sundlof,
the FDA's chief veterinarian, told reporters.
Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial
product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test
results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added.
That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.
"What we expect to do with our inspections in China will answer some of those
questions," said Michael Rogers (news, bio, voting record), director of the
division of field investigations within the FDA's office of regulatory affairs.
Wilbur-Ellis Co., the U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, said
Thursday it was recalling all the ingredient it had distributed to five U.S.
pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers
to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
So far, just two of those companies have done so: Natural Balance Pet Foods
and Blue Buffalo Co.
Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., announced a limited recall Monday of its
Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog
treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
Blue Buffalo, of Wilton, Conn., followed Thursday by recalling 5,044 bags of
its Spa Select Kitten dry food. The company intercepted most of the kitten food
before it reached distribution centers, company co-founder Billy Bishop said.
FDA officials would not release the names of the other two manufacturers that
Wilbur-Ellis supplied, citing its ongoing investigation.
The FDA could not provide updated numbers of pet deaths or injuries due to
the contaminated pet food. The agency has received more than 15,000 calls since
the first recall was announced more than a month ago.
The FDA and Agriculture Department also were investigating whether some pet
food made by one of the five companies supplied by Wilbur-Ellis was diverted
for use as hog feed after it was found unsuitable for pet consumption.
"We understand it did make it into some hog feed and we are following up on
that as well," Sundlof said.
Later Thursday, California officials said they believe the melamine at the
quarantined hog farm came from rice protein concentrate imported from China by
Diamond Pet Food's Lathrop facility, which produces products under the Natural
Balance brand and sold salvage pet food to the farm for pig feed.
"Although all animals appear healthy, we are taking this action out of an
abundance of caution," State Veterinarian Richard Breitmeyer said in a
statement. "It is unknown if the chemical will be detected in meat."
Officials were investigating American Hog Farm's sales records to determine who
may be affected by the quarantine, said Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. The 1,500-animal farm operates
as a "custom slaughterhouse," which means it generally does not supply meat to
commercial outlets. "Mostly it is not so-called mainstream pork. This is an
operation that sells to folks who come in and want a whole pig," said Lyle
said. Officials urged those who purchased pigs from American Hog Farm since
April 3 to not consume the product until further notice. Dr. Mark Horton,
state public health officer, said so far "evidence suggests a minimal health
risk to persons who may have consumed pork" from the farm. A man who
answered the phone for American Hog Farm late Thursday declined to comment and
referred calls to state officials. Phone calls to Diamond Pet Food's Lathrop
facility and Meta, Mo., headquarters were not immediately returned. ___ On
the Net: Food and Drug Administration pet food recall info:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html
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