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Pet Food Maker Announces Huge Recall

PORKER

Well-known member
Pet Food Maker Announces Huge Recall
(AP) WASHINGTON A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods a Ontario, Canada company.said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site -- www.menufoods.com/recall -- early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Recall

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - March 16, 2007) - The following corrects and replaces the release sent on March 16, 2007 at 1351 ET. The telephone number for Consumers to contact should read 1-866-463-6738. The complete and corrected release follows.

NOT FOR RELEASE OVER US NEWSWIRE SERVICES

Attention Business/Financial Editors

Menu Foods Income Fund (the "Fund") (TSX:MEW.UN) today announced the precautionary recall of a portion of the dog and cat food it manufactured between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. The recall is limited to "cuts and gravy" style pet food in cans and pouches manufactured at two of the Fund's United States facilities. These products are both manufactured and sold under private-label and are contract-manufactured for some national brands.

Over the past several days, the Fund has received feedback in the United States (none in Canada) raising concerns about pet food manufactured since early December, and its impact on the renal health of the pets consuming the products. Shortly after receipt of the first complaint, the Fund initiated a substantial battery of technical tests, conducted by both internal and external specialists, but has failed to identify any issues with the products in question. The Fund has, however, discovered that timing of the production associated with these complaints, coincides with the introduction of an ingredient from a new supplier. The Fund stopped using this ingredient shortly after this discovery and production since then has been undertaken using ingredients from another source.

At the same time, the Fund's largest customer, for which it manufactures on a contract basis, received a small number of consumer complaints and has initiated its own recall. Furthermore, for the time being, the customer has put future orders for cuts and gravy products on hold. This customer's cuts and gravy purchases in 2006 represented approximately 11% of the Fund's annual revenue.

"We take these complaints very seriously and, while we are still looking for a specific cause, we are acting to err on the side of caution" said Paul K. Henderson, President and CEO, Menu Foods. "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our products maintain the very highest quality standards."

While the number of complaints has been relatively small, Menu is taking this proactive step out of an abundance of caution, because the health and well-being of pets is paramount to the Fund.

In addition to changing suppliers, for production after March 6, the Fund has increased testing of all raw materials and finished goods. It is also working closely with regulatory authorities and its customers to learn more and will take whatever additional actions are appropriate. The Fund estimates that based on currently available information, this recall could cost between $30 million and $40 million, which will be financed from a combination of internally generated cash flow and bank credit facilities. Furthermore, the Fund is aggressively producing product, utilizing a different supplier for the ingredient in question, to replenish customers as quickly as possible.

In order to determine whether cat and dog food in their possession is subject to recall, consumers should refer to the list of brand names ("listed products") at www.menufoods.com/recall. This will be available by 6 a.m. Saturday March 17, 2007. Products not identified on the website can continue to be used.

Menu is the leading North American private-label/contract manufacturer of wet pet food products sold by supermarket retailers, mass merchandisers, pet specialty retailers and other retail and wholesale outlets. In 2006, the Fund produced more than one billion containers.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_cat.html Cat Food recall brands.

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html Dog food recall brands.

Just like the other recalls, one company with a bunch of brand names for the same product.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., has informed the Food and Drug Administration and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on this issue. The company regrets any inconvenience to its consumers, retail customers and veterinarians.

Related articles in infoZine
Purina Withdraws Mighty Dog Products in Response to Menu Foods Recall
Hill's Pet Nutrition Joins Recall of Specific Canned Cat Foods
Pet Foods Manufactured by Menu Foods Recalled
Menu Foods Recalls Can and Small Foil Pouch Wet Pet Foods
P&G Pet Care Participates Pet Food Recall
 

PORKER

Well-known member
A federal investigation is focusing on wheat gluten as the likely source of contamination that sparked a recall last Friday of 60 million cans and pouches of the suspect food, said Stephen F. Sundlof, the Food and Drug Administration's top veterinarian.

The ingredient, a protein source, is commonly used as filler.

Agency investigators are looking at other ingredients as well. The wet-style pet food was made by Menu Foods, a Mississauga-based company.

Menu Foods told the FDA it received the first complaints of kidney failure and deaths among cats and dogs from pet owners on Feb. 20. It began new tests on Feb. 27.

During those tests, the company fed its product to 40 to 50 dogs and cats and some seven animals – the mix of species was not immediately known – died, Sundlof said. The contamination appeared more deadly to cats than to dogs, he said.
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
Friday news conference, Paul K. Henderson, CEO of Menu Foods, was asked whether the firm would provide compensation for medical bills for sick pets. He said, "To the extent that we identify that the cause of any expenses incurred are related to the food, Menu will take responsibility for that."

However, the company was not yet certain how a toxic substance had made its way into the pet food.

"How did this substance get in to our products? At this stage, we don't know," Henderson said.

He told reporters that the company will begin testing all suspect raw materials through a process of elimination but denied that Menu Foods had been negligent.

"Some raw material has entered our supply chain that did not meet the quality that had been represented," he told reporters.

Henderson also sought to reassure the public that there was no reason to suspect the contamination affected any products beyond the ones identified in the recall.

The company had spoken to nearly 200,000 consumers, Henderson said.

"They are scared. Some of them, like myself, are angry," Henderson said. "We are grateful for their patience."

Menu foods said Saturday that even brands not on the official recall list should be removed.

The company shut down a manufacturing plant in Kansas, where aminopterin, an ingredient used in rat poison, was detected.

The tainted food has killed at least 16 dogs and cats so far across North America. The toll is expected to climb.
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
The substance in the food was identified as aminopterin, a cancer drug that once was used to induce abortions in the United States and is still used to kill rats in some other countries, state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said.

The federal government prohibits using aminopterin for killing rodents in the U.S. State officials would not speculate on how the poison got into the pet food, but said no criminal investigations had been launched.

The pet deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food the company produced and sold throughout North America.

After Friday's announcement, Menu Foods food advised retailers to remove all brands from their shelves to verify the dates they were packaged, a company spokesman said, though the recall still applies only to the dog and cat foods identified on its Web site since March 16. Those cover cans and pouches of food packaged from Dec. 3 through March 6.

"The recall has not been expanded," Menu spokesman Sam Bornstein said Saturday.

Menu Foods, based in Ontario, Canada, said it would take responsibility for pet medical expenses incurred as a result of the tainted food, but it was cold comfort to the owners of pets sickened or killed.

"Before they put this stuff in the bags, there should be some kind of test," said Jeff Kerner, whose Yorkshire terrier named Pebbles died Thursday. "I can't just let it go. Even if they just change the law."

The dog had eaten some of the food, Kerner said, and he was contacting an attorney because he wanted to prevent another pet tragedy.

Some pets that ate the recalled brands suffered kidney failure, and the company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog. However, pet owners and veterinarians said the tally could actually be higher, and other deaths were reported anecdotally around the country.

There is no risk to pet owners from handling the food, officials said.

The Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation into the pet deaths was focused on wheat gluten in the food. The gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but it could have been contaminated, the FDA said.

Paul Henderson, chief executive of Menu Foods, confirmed Friday that the wheat gluten was purchased from China.

Bob Rosenberg, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Pest Management Association, said it would be unusual for the wheat to be tainted.

"It would make no sense to spray a crop itself with rodenticide," Rosenberg said, adding that grain shippers typically put bait stations around the perimeter of their storage facilities.

Scientists at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University and at the New York State Food Laboratory tested three cat food samples provided by the manufacturer and found aminopterin in two of them. The two labs are part of a network created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to keep the nation's animals and food supply safe.

"Any amount of this product is too much in food," Hooker said.

Aminopterin is highly toxic in high doses. It inhibits the growth of malignant cells and suppresses the immune system. In dogs and cats, the amount of aminopterin found _ 40 parts per million _ can cause kidney failure, according to Bruce Akey, director of Cornell's diagnostic center.

"It's there in substantial amounts," Akey said.

Donald Smith, dean of Cornell's veterinary school, said he expected the number of pet deaths to increase. "Based on what we've heard the last couple days, 16 is a low number," Smith said.

Aminopterin is no longer marketed as a cancer drug, but is still used in research, said Andre Rosowsky, a chemist with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Rosowsky speculated that the substance would not show up in pet food "unless somebody put it there."

Henderson said Menu Foods does not believe the food was tampered with because the recalled food came from two different plants, one in Kansas, one in New Jersey. Menu continues to produce food at the two plants.

The company, already facing lawsuits, said Friday it is testing all the ingredients that go into the food.

"We have a lot of work to do, and we are eager to get back to it," Henderson said. "This is a highly unusual substance."

When asked whether there would compensation for medical bills for sick pets, Henderson said "to the extent that we identify that the cause of any expenses incurred are related to the food, Menu will take responsibility for that."

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates was posted online by Menu Foods and is available at http://tinyurl.com/2pn6mm. The company also designated two phone numbers that pet owners could call for information: (866) 463-6738 and (866) 895-2708.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Bridges in Washington, Michael Virtanen in Albany and Solvej Schou in Los Angeles contributed to this report
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Mrs. Greg, there has been an article posted, and seems to be in yours also that the drug "Aminopterin" is not used in rat poison in the U.S.

Is it available for such or other easy ways of obtaining it in Canada?

If not, it would seem to have come from China with the grain.

I am not blaming Canadians here, this is a food safety issue. If it did come from China, it should give our officials in the U.S. and Canada more impetus to make sure the food stuffs traded globally is safe before it is sold on this continent.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
but said no criminal investigations had been launched.

Means they already know the source (wheat gluten from China) and their ain't a thing they can do concerning imported products in these other countries...

"Before they put this stuff in the bags, there should be some kind of test," said Jeff Kerner, whose Yorkshire terrier named Pebbles died Thursday. "I can't just let it go. Even if they just change the law."

I wonder if ol Jeff knows that almost all of his domestic food he consumes and 99.995% of all imported foods are never tested prior to being sold to human consumers....

What would be ironic since we have varying jurisdictions (USDA-human food and FDA- animal food) is if FDA ends up putting more restrictions and safeguards on the dogfood than USDA does with consumer food items..... :roll:
 

PORKER

Well-known member
They are not following the FDA 2002 Bioterrorism LAW Section 603 for Recordkeeping.All ingredients for food or feed use imported or made here need these records . The fine by FDA will hurt.
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
Econ and OT...it does look like the main source is Wheat gluten being imported from China.The main reason I posted these were they seemed to conflict,one artical said the CEO of menu foods was saying DON'T use any gravy based dog food from Menu not just the recalled ones...the other artical says the dog food recall was not expanded. Another piece that bothered me was theres no worry to pet use owners,I find that extremly hard to believe,any medicine I have to give out that may come in contact with my hands,certain topical creams,pain and Nitro patches,I am made to wear gloves because of the transfer of these chemicals through my blood stream.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Looks like they are recalling everything they ever made-- taking everything off the counter...

Mrs. Greg- you are right about the absorbtion danger- and also how many times have you seen a baby crawl over to the dog food dish and eating dogfood before mother or caretaker can stop them :shock:

The news media (including FOX) were really coming down hard on FDA and the manufacturer last night.....With all the vegetable recalls, the BSE issues, and now this-- I see FDA and USDA being under huge Congressional scrutiny during this Congressional session-- there is a big move to make them into one agency- over all food products....That would be fine with me if they cleaned house from mid management on up first...

----------------------------------------------------

Pet food recall expanded
March 25, 2007

BLOOMBERG NEWS


Menu Foods Ltd., which recalled 60 million cans of wet pet food in the United States last week, asked Saturday for all brands involved to be removed, regardless of the date of manufacture, amid concern tainted products are still being sold.

Menu Foods, based in the Toronto suburb of Streetsville, also withdrew all varieties of the affected brands, although there isn't a known risk for those foods, the company said. The original recall, announced March 16, applied to wet food made at its Emporia, Kan., plant between Dec. 3 and March 6. Dry pet food isn't involved.


New York State officials said the wet food made by Menu Foods contained a rat poison called aminopterin. The recall involves brands including Procter & Gamble Co.'s Iams, Nestle SA's Mighty Dog and retailers' own labels.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070325/NEWS07/703250677/1001/NEWS
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Mrs.Greg said:
Econ and OT...it does look like the main source is Wheat gluten being imported from China.The main reason I posted these were they seemed to conflict,one artical said the CEO of menu foods was saying DON'T use any gravy based dog food from Menu not just the recalled ones...the other artical says the dog food recall was not expanded. Another piece that bothered me was theres no worry to pet use owners,I find that extremly hard to believe,any medicine I have to give out that may come in contact with my hands,certain topical creams,pain and Nitro patches,I am made to wear gloves because of the transfer of these chemicals through my blood stream.

Maybe the drug manufacturer thought they could get free trials on unwitting pet owners. Curing cancer in little cats and dogs may be their way of trying to make some more money. :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Orest from Toronto, Canada writes a comment in pet blog: your chemistry on the posion involved in the recall is; The compound is actually a synthetic variant of folic acid. The chemical structure is an organic carboxylic acid. Aminopterin is used, among other things, as a chemotherapy agent in cancer thrapy. The non-acid end is structurally similar to assorted Triazine herbicides. This compound is very toxic. Yhe fact that it is also used a a rodenticide is extremely significant and pertinat. Especial;ly in the context of the origin of the affected wheat gluten from the ROC. One of the more pertinant issues here is that Communist China is not especially sensitive to environmental concerns and issues, but this is par for the course in any totalitarian state. Another very pertinant issue id the lack of concern for industrial safety and workers rights. All before we discuss human rights. As for why Menu Foods is importing wheat gluten from ROC, the answer is simple - price. Labour costs are very low there. Combine this with essentially non-existant environmental and industrial hygeine standards - well you get the picture. The real issue here is that wheat glutten is an important ingredient in many processed foods for humans. If there is a problem with the supply for animal feed, there is likely to be a problem with the supply for human food also. Ahh, the wonders of the 'bottom line'.

The bottum line is profits instead of food or feed safety.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
If there is a problem with the supply for animal or pet feed, there is likely to be a problem with the supply for human food also. Eating those foods with wheat gluten in as a ingredient and not knowing where it came from .
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I just got a phone call from a neighbor of mine- young rancher that has gotten 4 border collie pups from me over the years...He heard my old bitch was about to pup and wanted to put an order in for two...

He lost one of the pups he got 2 years ago to coyotes- but still had an old dog that worked great anywhere and a young one that was just coming along great....

He went into his story- about broke down telling me...He said a week or so ago the pup walked into the feedlot office and dropped dead-- then a day later his old dog got sick, vet said it was kidney failure and did dialysis and IV's until she died yesterday...

Since they have a multitude of feedlots and ranch's that they were at, he's not sure what brands of dogfood were at each place- but the Vet said it is symptomatic of the dogfood that is killing all the dogs... He had her posted and is sending the kidneys to the Bozeman Lab for further testing....

I'll bet today he'd throttle the folks that decided to import cheap wheat from China to make a buck, if he could get his hands on them... :( :mad: :mad:
 

PORKER

Well-known member
ASPCA Advises Caution As Pet Food Recall Crisis Grows
Other Contaminants May Be Involved in the Menu Foods Recall

ASPCA Media Contact

NEW YORK, March 27, 2007—Since Menu Foods announced its massive pet food recall on March 16, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) has been flooded with calls from concerned pet parents and animal welfare professionals alike. Call volume at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), which is based in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill., has increased significantly over the past 10 days—approximately 14 percent—and the ASPCA’s veterinary toxicologists have been carefully analyzing data from these calls.

Today the ASPCA reports that, based on these data, clinical signs reported in cats affected by the contaminated foods are not fully consistent with the ingestion of rat poison containing aminopterin that, according to Menu Foods, is at the “root” of the contamination issue.

“We’ve seen reports coming in from all around the country that animals that were eating the contaminated foods are definitely suffering from renal failure,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Midwest Office, including the APCC. “But the data that we’ve been collecting do not conclusively prove this connection, which is why we strongly recommend that those involved in the investigation continue to search for additional contaminants.”

Dr. Hansen continued, “Aminopterin has been used to treat cancer in people, since it is able to disrupt rapidly-growing cells. In animals, it should result in effects that mimic this function, and these include bloody diarrhea, bone marrow suppression, abortion and birth defects. Further, renal damage—which has been seen in the affected animals—can occur at high doses.

“However, to be consistent with the effects of aminopterin, we should also be seeing a significant number of affected pets showing the accompanying signs of severe intestinal damage, as well as bone marrow suppression, including ‘leukopenia,’ which is a serious reduction in white blood cells.

“This is the missing connection that we want to alert veterinarians around the country to. We are asking all veterinarians treating cats affected by these products, to report their findings to the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).”

Although Menu Foods announced last week that aminopterin was at the “root” of the contamination issue, the FDA, the agency leading this investigation, has not corroborated this finding.

“There are so many inconsistencies in the purported link between aminopterin and the animals affected, that we urge veterinary toxicologists and veterinary pathologists at diagnostic laboratories to continue looking for additional contaminants,” said Dr. Hansen. “Only continued rigorous testing will uncover the real reason or reasons for this crisis among our pet population.”

The ASPCA strongly recommends that pet parents should have their pet examined by their veterinarian if any signs of illness occur following consumption of the recalled foods, including loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in water consumption or changes in urination. Adverse effects or deaths of pets conclusively linked to eating the contaminated foods should be reported to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html. Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has a wealth of resources at http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/default.asp.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Comments from Pet Owners:Mine was only 7 yrs old. I can only pray they dig deeper than Menu foods canned and foil packed foods. I will never feed commercial pet food again. Our dog is eating a species appropriate diet now. Raw Meaty bones and organ meats….and doing just fine on them. I heartily suggest that others do the same. You can read up on how to do it at www.rawmeatybones.com…they have to full length books online that you can download and read for free.
My sympathies for all those suffering.

Comment by Lil Bear's Momma — March 27, 2007 @ 6:18 pm

I just made 2 phone calls. One to Petsmart to get my purchase records and one to Menu Income Group.

Petsmart was very considerate and helpful. In fact the guy who took my call had his own cat fall ill to this tainted food. Kudos to Petsmart on stepping up to the plate during this awful time.

The menu food one couldn’t be more different. I got the number from their website for information regarding the recall. Someone answered right away and put me on hold. I was treated to an instrumental version of “Stand By Me” Then the most disinterested “Menu foods may I help you?”
“Yes, I’m calling about the food recall” Long pause. “Hello?” then nothing but a click and a busy signal. Just surreal.

In loving memory: K.C. April 1989- Feb 11, 2007

Comment by Bonnie — March 27, 2007 @ 6:24 pm

A horrifying thought. Just how secure is the nations water and food supplies? If the grain supply is so open to contamination and those involved don’t even run one test to see if it’s OK before using it, what is to prevent the whole human supply from, I’ll say it…terrorism? I’m sure the terrorists have noticed what’s happening already.

A larger attack on the human food supply and this country will be in a mess that will make 911 look like a kid’s prank.

This is aimed at DHS. This is a national security issue, where is Chertoff and his crew? looking in old ladies purses at the airport? sorry, I’m really angered at the failings of this bunch that’s using up trillions of dollars into nowhere except their own pockets.

Comment by Gary — March 27, 2007 @ 6:41 pm
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Remember when Tommy Thompson got run out of being HHS Secretary because he was calling for changes- and asked that more/something be done with all these uninspected food imports...

But that didn't meet the current administrations "global trade" corporate handlers expectations and requirements- so he was soon gone....

But in his parting speach he let fly- and said that we still had holes in the internal food production and testing-- but huge holes in the inspection of imported products and that it would be simple for terrorists to do mass contaminations of our imported food products...
His comment in that parting speach was "that only .005% of all food products imported into the US is ever looked at or inspected by a US Inspector..."

So much for the Billions $ spent on this so-called new Homeland Security- all Smoke and Mirrors...

And then the Feds have the audacity to tell US producers that they have to spend $ Millions to develop a National ID for Livestock- in case of the possibility of imported diseases, which they are doing nothing to help keep out of the country... :roll: :( :mad:
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Your Right, Oldtimer, Not much protection left, Might need a Posse Comatitis group to save the neighborhood. By the way it getting way too HOT here in Florida and I'am packing this wireless laptop,trail horses,wife and heading North to Michigan end of the week. Can't stand this 88 F weather any more!
 
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