April 10, 2007
NOT FOR RELEASE OVER US NEWSWIRE SERVICES
Attention Business/Financial Editors
Prompted by reports from the US Food and Drug Administration as to the presence of melamine in cans of cuts and gravy pet food produced in Menu Foods’ Canadian production facility, Menu Foods undertook an accounting of all recalled wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. to Menu Foods in the United States.
As the result of that review, Menu Foods has identified a single interplant transfer of the ChemNutra supplied wheat gluten, shipped from Menu Foods’ plant in Emporia, Kansas, to its plant in Streetsville, Ontario. This wheat gluten was subsequently used in the production of pet food in December, 2006 and January, 2007, which is being recalled by Menu Foods.
The new varieties in the United States and Canada have been added to the recall list. The latest recall group is listed below, and a complete list of recalled products, including the new items can be reviewed at www.menufoods.com.
Brand Look For This Date On The Bottom of Can or Back of Pouch Variety Description Can / Pouch Size UPC
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Jan/2/10 Flaked Tuna 3oz Can 3oz 54807-59114
Your Pet
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 72036-29026
Jan/24/10
Nov 06 09 Sliced Variety Pack 3oz Can 3oz 72036-40013
Pet Pride
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 11110-86264
Jan/24/10
Nov 06 09 Sliced Variety Pack 3oz Can 3oz 11110-86003
Dec 05 09
Dec 06 09
Jan 23 10
Jan 24 10
Laura Lynn
Jan/2/10 Flaked Tuna 3oz Can 3oz 86854-02407
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 86854-02406
Nutriplan
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 41130-06755
Price Chopper
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 41735-12828
Publix
Jan/2/10 Flaked Tuna 3oz Can 3oz 41415-08327
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 41415-08827
Jan/2/10
Jan/24/10
Stop & Shop Companion
Jan/2/10 Flaked Tuna 3oz Can 3oz 88267-00286
Winn Dixie
Dec/19/09 Sliced Beef/Gravy 3oz Can 3oz 21140-19419
J.E. Mondou
Jan/2/10 Flaked Tuna 85g Can 85g 71127-54202
Medi-Cal
Jan/8/09 Dissolution Formula 170g Can 170g 70705-21280
Nutro Products
All Dates Chicken Cacciatore 3oz Can 3oz 79105-35205
All Dates Orleans Seafood Jambalaya 3oz Can 3oz 79105-35206
All Dates Beef Ragout 3oz Can 3oz 79105-35207
All Dates Alaskan Halibut/Rice 3oz Can 3oz 79105-35221
All Dates Kitten Chicken/Lamb 3oz Can 3oz 79105-35202
All Dates California Chicken 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30011
All Dates Lamb/Turkey Cutlets 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30014
All Dates Salmon/Whitefish 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30013
All Dates Beef/Egg 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30015
All Dates Turkey/Chicken Liver 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30016
All Dates Seafood/Tomato/Bisque 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30017
All Dates Hunters Stew with Duck 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30018
All Dates Hunters Stew with Venison 3oz Can 3oz 79105-30019
So much for “the wet food’s OK”.
So glad I had to transition my fuzzy away from Nutro because of allergies a year ago.
Potential Contaminants
Given the types of things manufacturers put in pet food, it is not surprising that bad things sometimes happen. Ingredients used in pet food are often highly contaminated with a wide variety of toxic substances. Some of these are destroyed by processing, but others are not.
- Bacteria. Slaughtered animals, as well as those that have died because of disease, injury, or natural causes, are sources of meat, by-products, and rendered meals. An animal that died on the farm might not reach a rendering plant until days after its death. Therefore the carcass is often contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Dangerous E. Coli bacteria are estimated to contaminate more than 50% of meat meals. While the cooking process may kill bacteria, it does not eliminate the endotoxins some bacteria produce during their growth. These toxins can survive processing, and can cause sickness and disease. Pet food manufacturers do not test their products for bacterial endotoxins. Because sick or dead animals can be processed as pet foods, the drugs that were used to treat or euthanize them may still be present in the end product. Penicillin and pentobarbital are just two examples of drugs that can pass through processing unchanged. Antibiotics used in livestock production are also thought to contribute to antibiotic resistance in humans.
- Mycotoxins. Toxins from mold or fungi are called mycotoxins. Modern farming practices, adverse weather conditions, and improper drying and storage of crops can contribute to mold growth. Pet food ingredients that are most likely to be contaminated with mycotoxins are grains such as wheat and corn, and fish meal.
- Chemical Residue. Pesticides and fertilizers may leave residue on plant products. Grains that are condemned for human consumption by the USDA due to residue may legally be used, without limitation, in pet food.
- GMOs. Genetically modified plant products are also of concern. By 2006, 89% of the planted area of soybeans, 83% of cotton, and 61% of maize (corn) in the U.S. were genetically modified varieties. Cottonseed meal is a common ingredient of cattle feed; soy and corn are used directly in many pet foods.
- Acrylamide. This is a carcinogenic compound formed at cooking temperatures of about 250°F in foods containing certain sugars and the amino acid asparagine (found in large amounts in potatoes and cereal grains). It is formed in a chemical process called the Maillard reaction.4, 5 Most dry pet foods contain cereal grains or potatoes, and they are processed at high temperatures (200–300°F at high pressure during extrusion; baked foods are cooked at well over 500°F); these are perfect conditions for the Maillard reaction. In fact, the Maillard reaction is considered desirable in the production of pet food because it imparts a palatable taste, even though it reduces the bioavailability of some amino acids, including taurine and lysine.6 The content and potential effects of acrylamide formation in pet foods are unknown.