Posted on 03/31/2007 4:37:10 AM PDT by Milwaukee_Guy
Alpo® Brand Prime Cuts In Gravy Canned Dog Food Voluntary Nationwide Recall
No Dry Purina Products Involved
St. Louis, Missouri, March 30, 2007
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company today announced it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The Company is taking this voluntary action after learning today that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods. The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities.
Earlier today the FDA announced the finding of melamine in products related to the March 16 Menu Foods recall, and advised Purina of the source of the contaminated supply. Purina then determined that it had received some quantity from the suspect supplier. The company proactively notified the FDA and immediately began this recall process
Purina is confident that the contaminated wheat gluten has been isolated to this limited production quantity of ALPO Prime Cuts canned products.
The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a “Best Before Feb. 2009” date. This information should be checked on the bottom of the can or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons.
Purina's 5.3-ounce Mighty Dog® pouch products, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution on March 16 as part of the Menu Foods recall. ONLY Mighty Dog pouch products and specific date codes of ALPO Prime Cuts canned dog food are being recalled.
Importantly, no Purina brand dry pet foods are affected by the recall – including ALPO Prime Cuts dry. In addition, no other Purina dog food products, no Purina cat food products, Purina treat products or Purina Veterinary Diet products are included in this recall, nor have been impacted by the contaminated wheat gluten supply.
Consumers should immediately stop feeding ALPO Prime Cuts products with the above-listed date codes to their dogs and consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their pet.
Purina guarantees all of its products, and consumers can receive the full replacement value of the recalled products. Consumers can visit us at www.purina.com or call 1-800-218-5898, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT, to receive more information.
Purina is fully cooperating with the FDA and made the decision to voluntarily recall this product in consultation with the FDA.
At Purina, nothing is more important to us than the health and well-being of the pets whose nutrition has been entrusted to us by their owners, and we deeply regret this unfortunate situation. We will continue to take any and all actions necessary to ensure the quality and safety of our products
No offense to them, and I realize hindsight is 20/20, but when it comes to Chinese what imports, they should've been more proactive. Problems with contaminents weren't exactly a secret.
what=wheat
Sigh. More caffeine.
It's more than past time. If this contamination of animal food is as widespread as it now appears, then it is imperative to also check and clear human foods. I think it is also high time that this source from Red China be clearly identified to the public.
I have long advocated ceasing trade with the PRC, and this does nothing but convince me that it is also a matter of health and safety. I was in Japan when it was discovered that some food imports from China were problematic, and I am not surprised to find that we are also finding problems.
Read the article. The Purina product recalled last night wasn't made by Menu Foods, but "at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities." It contains the same imported wheat gluten used by Menu, and that's the link.
Further, there is quite a disagreement between the FDA and the New York State Food Laboratory as to whether melamine is the culprit in the poisoning. There just isn't enough toxicity data available to narrow it down yet. The FDA lab couldn't find any aminotrophen in their testing, so now they've settled on melamine, but even they admit they're not sure if it's the cause. Per the NY Times:
“At this point in the investigation, we are not focusing on aminopterin,” said Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the F.D.A. But he added that he was not certain melamine was the chemical causing illness in dogs and cats.
“There is little information in the scientific literature on melamine exposure on dogs and cats,” Dr. Sundlof said. “So it’s very difficult to determine a level that would be harmful or even lethal.”
The lack of information about melamine’s toxicity left some scientists who have worked with the chemical skeptical about its involvement in poisoning pets.
“It’s not what I would consider to be a particularly toxic material,” said Daniel R. Shelton, a scientist at the federal Department of Agriculture, who published a study on melamine’s potential to be a slow release fertilizer in 1997.
“It doesn’t compute for me” that the melamine would sicken pets, Dr. Shelton said.
The confusion has left veterinarians unsure of how best to advise pet owners.
Not sure about that, Dogs & Cats have much weaker livers than humans or even rats, so what's harmless to us & lab rats might be trouble for pets (Think Chocolate)
After researching what actually goes into dog food, I would never feed my dog that crap and stuck to table scraps, The "meat" they use in pet food isn't even good enough to be legally used to make Hot Dogs, that pretty much says it all.
ping
thank you, late last night, our Yorkie seemed a bit better. He actually wanted something to eat. This morning I found alot of blood with his stool. I'll let you know what the vet says.
Bingo! Plus it shows just how vulnerable our food supply is. Welcome to the new Global Society, New World Order etc.
We returned all of our canned Purina to Walmart immediately after the initial announcement. Since then, our dogs are now helping us clean out the freezer and eating as good as the rest of the family. Steak & rice last night, Moose burger this morning. They're loving it.
NOTE TO ALL. Be sure to check all brands of dry food from Walmart for weevil's.
It's good that he wants to eat,,,
Prayers Up...
Thanks for staying on top of thing m_guy.
I have had calls from a company representing menu foods and also from the FDA.
When I mentioned to the gal from the FDA that dogs know and sometimes it seemed like my dog was trying to tell me about the food, she didn't think me nuts.
She said that one woman told her that she mixed two kinds of foods together, one was on the recall list, she said the dog would seperate the two foods and only eat the not recalled food.
Animals know.
It is so hard to think that maybe he thought I knew also, if only I did. I would never harm him. He was my love bug, funny face, made me laugh everyday.
Damn it, I just bought two dozen cans of it.
All my cats get Hills M/D dry. I just called my vet and they said they will switch out to Purina D/M dry. Hills has not been returning calls about the recall.
I think I will take a trip to Pet Smart this afternoon and see if they can help me out on trying to find a safe brand for my puppy.
Thank you, I just found several cans in our pantry.
Damn these scumbags.
Before going to a break, Fox and Friends this a.m. said they'd be back "later" with a new recall on DRIED CAT FOOD. I missed it! I've Googled and can't find anything. Does anyone have any info. on that?
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