Pet food recall: Menu expands recall dates, Sunshine Mills joining recall

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CNN (and a few minutes later, the AP - thanks, itchmo!) is reporting that Alabama's Sunshine Mills, Inc., which makes a wide variety of pet products, is recalling some of their dog treats that were made with contaminated wheat gluten.

The AP is also reporting that today, Menu has expanded the dates covered by their original recall, and updated their dog and cat product recall lists. We're looking over those changes now and will have more information shortly.

UPDATE: I spoke to Therese, who maintains the informative pet food list at the PetSitUsa.com blog - which has been getting so much traffic she's had to mirror it at ThePetFoodList.com - and neither of us is quite sure how to interpret the expanded dates on Menu's recall list. I also saw this article linked by Maureen in the comments:

Menu Foods today voluntarily expanded its pet food recall for selected "cuts and gravy" pet food products, manufactured back to November 8, 2006.

UPDATE 2: From PR Newswire, dated today:

ChemNutra Inc., a former supplier of wheat gluten to Menu Foods, announced a recall of all wheat gluten it imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China. As a result, Menu Foods today announced an expansion of its recall to include all products manufactured with wheat gluten purchased from ChemNutra Inc. which Menu Foods' records show was first used on November 8, 2006 and last used on March 6, 2007.

The full release is here, and also contains the statement that  "the vast majority of the products affected by this expansion are already off retailers' shelves. No new brands have been added."

Until, that is, Sunshine Mills was added, also today. Sunshine Mills makes a number of brands, including Ol' Roy dog treats. They make also manufacture some "private label" pet treats, so... still digging.

UPDATE 3: The FDA just issued an alert for dog chews tainted with salmonella.

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Comments

[Sandi K]

Another recall AND Menu Foods expanding their dates??? This is ABSOLUTE gross negligence on the part of Menu Foods and FDA. And yet they have the nerve to say pet parents are over-reacting?! I am livid! So how many more pets have to die while they blunder along? Im hoping our kitty who is hopefully in heaven or a better place where kitties thrive puts the hex on all of them involved!

[Maureen]

This website says Menu Foods recalling selected "cuts and gravy" products back to NOVEMBER 8, 2006:



http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272612567.shtml



Pet Food Recall: Menu Foods Recalls All Foods Containing Wheat Gluten

By Cris Bergman

Apr 5, 2007



Pet food recall Update - A new recall has hit in what seems like the never ending recall of dog and cat foods. A press release has been issued that notes that all Menu Foods pet food with ChemNutra wheat gluten will be voluntarily recalled. The company notes that in response to a news release - issued by ChemNutra Inc.during the evening of April 3, 2007 - Menu Foods today voluntarily expanded its pet food recall for selected "cuts and gravy" pet food products, manufactured back to November 8, 2006.



ChemNutra Inc., a former supplier of wheat gluten to Menu Foods, announced a recall of all wheat gluten it imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China. As a result, Menu Foods today announced an expansion of its recall to include all products manufactured with wheat gluten purchased from ChemNutra Inc. which Menu Foods' records show was first used on November 8, 2006 and last used on

March 6, 2007.



***



As a result of actions previously taken by Menu Foods, the vast majority of the products affected by this expansion are already off retailers' shelves. No new brands have been added. A total of 20 varieties have been added to the recall list and the additional varieties are listed at this link. All Menu Foods products not made with the recalled wheat gluten are safe to consume.

[Sandro]

“The FDA said all the tainted wheat gluten has been traced to manufacturers and that to the best of its knowledge; none has entered the human food chain.”



Where is that damned list so consumers can take their own safety precautions?

[Sharon Gilbert]

You know what, that doesn't suprise me. I think my kitty was sick for a while before the original dates were issued. It just took longer for the poison to finally take his life. He died on 2/21/07 which was before the recall dates were announced. This is just wonderful..............:-(

[Sandro]

Secrecy in the midst of a toxic meltdown, un_freaking_believable...

[Steve]

I have to agree with a fellow poster.



"The FDA will not disclose which manufacturers got the toxic wheat gluten AND to make matters worse, all these organizations and companies have been saying foods not on recall lists are “safe” to feed pets. This is criminal negligence of an unprecedented scale"



I have been following this since March 16 working 14 or more hours a day non stop watching, researching, contributing, sleuthing, tracking, observing, and so have many other volunteers here and there is no further explanation needed.



Please contact your Congressional representative and demand an immediate investigation into this matter.



Time IS of the essence.

[Kim]

I'm working on this too over at petfoodtracker.com, not finding much so far...

[Jackie]

I can't believe the public is at the mercy of these inept individuals! Ah duh. . .it took how many weeks to check when they first started receiving this stuff? I'm with you Sandro.



un_freaking_believable!!!

[Dennis]

I had saved ALL of my wet food pouches and cans because of this recall. I never trusted the original date codes as being complete. And of course some of the ones that where not originally on the recall list are dated... Nov 08 08! Our kitty had to be euthanized 4-2-07 after over 2 weeks of hell and many vet visits.



Dennis

[Steve]

Comment by Jackie — April 5, 2007 @ 1:21 pm



The contempt and corruption being displayed against Pet Owners across America by the Pet Food Industry is astounding.



All a reader has to do is review this blog and the facts will speak for themselves.

[John]

Just added the ChemNutra information to the Wikipedia article on the recall and created an article for ChemNutra. Hopefully it will expand in the next few days and we'll learn everyone who received contaminated wheat gluten from ChemNutra.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_North_America_pet_food_recall

[nikandboots]

And now the Sunshine Mills website doesn't work. Hopefully they are finally updating it for the recall list.

[Eva]

So...from the Houston Chronicle on the LATEST recalled products:



"Other than that, I think, you know, the public should feel secure in purchasing pet foods that are not subject to the recall," Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters.

[Kim]

Got brand names for the Sunshine biscuits (some anyway) petfoodtracker.com (open in new window so you can stay on this blog too!)

[Sandro]

Comment by Eva



Duh, I think, you know, we've been saying since March 8, pet foods not on recall list, are safe to feed your pets.

[Sandi K]

This sentence posted above "All Menu Foods products not made with the recalled wheat gluten are safe to consume."



Safe to consume by who or what? If its so safe to consume, then lets see Menu Foods CEO's sit down to dine on their "safe" products.



I have to also add, whoever is in charge of these pet food companies public relations really should be nixed. I have never seen such a bunch of bumbling idiots......there are contradictory statements all over the place by Menu Foods and Nutro and others!

[Eva]

Yep...I couldn't feel more confident that our crack cadre of FDA professionals are on top of the crisis.

[mal]

About the latest expanded recall:



According to an earlier press release Menu Foods said the problem started when they used a new supplier. However what is their excuse now for the extended recall. If they only started using the "new" supplier in December then why a recall going back several more months. Did they JUST realize they were using a new supplier earlier..or is ther something else up? What else are they not telling us.





http://www.menufoods.com/recall/Press_Recall_03162007.pdf



"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 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"

[Sheila]

Eva -I'm with you.

[Eva]

He doesn't "think" there's anything else for us to worry our pretty little heads about!?!! Where are the records?



From the FDA's own f#@king site:



In June 2004, FDA published a final rule that specifies procedures that FDA would use to administratively detain food when the agency has credible evidence or information that the food presents a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. In December 2004, FDA published a final rule requiring food firms to establish and maintain records that would allow FDA to conduct an effective and efficient traceback investigation to protect the U.S. human food and animal feed supply, in the event the agency has a reasonable belief that an article of food is adulterated and poses a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.

[Jamie Brehmer]

So, let me get this straight, at first they (Menu Foods) said the contaminated foods were produced beginning December 3 because that is when they had changed to the new supplier and figured that was the culprit. So now they have announced that it actually dates back to November 8. And I also read that Menu Foods may have known about deaths in December...and waited until March to announce it to the public. I hope my Cocoajoe can appear in someone's dreams and make their lives the nightmare that' I've had since we had to put him down Feb 16.

[Sandro]

Eva, what a WONDERFUL find. ATTENTION journalists reading this, get that list of food manufacturers who received delivery of toxic wheat gluten! They have been keeping this from the public since March 8...

[Maureen]

CNN just said that Senator Durbin announced that pet food hearing will be next week. Good for him for acting urgently. (Senate on break this wk.)

[4lgdfriend]

even more alarming than this is the new piece on howl911 with a VERy convincing review of how the substances (not)found originated from GMO grains, as I previously suspected and posted. I repeat: What this says is: it's not just wheat gluten it's wheat and maybe other grains.

[Tammy K.]

The FDA information is interesting...



I have to say, I used to work in the food industry, in quality control. My job was to check the daily production records for a line of canned food my employer produced. I was the thorn in the side of EVERYONE involved with that particular product because I REFUSED to sign any records where there were discrepancies, REFUSED to release products for shipment if ANYTHING was out of whack.



I was always told that if there was ever a recall, and the FDA came in and saw MY name on the paperwork for a product that got released and caused sickness or death *I* was the one who could be held liable and sent to jail! Not just the company!



Needless to say, I didn't sign ANYTHING I wasn't sure of. No way, no how. Suppose that's why I don't still have a job there? LOL!



Seriously. There are very tight regulations in the human food industry. We had what were known as *critical* checks that had to be passed for a product to be considered safe from bacteria like botulism (common in canned foods before regulation).



Wonder what happened with the pet food industry that no one ever tested anything??? Or at least, that's what they're making it look like. I know we tested all incoming raw ingredients. I was good friends with the head of the testing lab. She was just as picky as I was about putting her name on a document...



So, where did all that honesty and integrity go?



Oh wait. NEITHER of us work for this big company anymore.



That probably answers that question, huh?

[Linda]

The FDA does Not answer to Congress - so Congress can't tell it to do anything.



Also, considering the anit-freeze in Chinese cough syrup and the sewage in the Lard (and I hope none of it was shipped to the U.S.) this is what I think is happening: They are trying to add weight to their product, similar to watering it down, but with cheap trash ingredients that somehow aren't detected until its too late. Could that be happening now with our wet pet food?

[Sandy]

According to CNN, these are the dog biscuits made by Sunchine being recalled:



Field Trial Large Plain

Nurture Chicken & Rice

Nurture Lamb & Rice

Pet Life Large

Pet Life Extra Large

Pet Life Large Variety

Pet Life Large Peanut Butter

Lassie Chicken & Rice

Lassie Lamb & Rice

Pet Life People Pleasers



Also private label biscuits for 5 of Sunshine's customers, but they didn't say which ones.

[Eva]

Here's the whole thing:



The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued final regulations on the establishment and maintenance of records to protect the U.S. human food and animal feed supply in the event of credible threats of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. FDA also issued draft guidance to FDA staff and industry, which details the internal procedures the agency will follow before requesting access to records.



"Publication of this recordkeeping rule represents a milestone in U.S. food safety and security," said Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy G. Thompson. "There is more work to do yet, but our nation is now more prepared than ever before to protect the public against threats to the food supply."



This final regulation implements section 306 of the Bioterrorism Act, which directs the HHS Secretary to issue regulations requiring persons who manufacture, process, pack, transport, distribute, receive, hold, or import food to establish and maintain records. These records identify the immediate previous source of all food received, as well as, the immediate subsequent recipient of all food released.



"These records will be crucial for FDA to deal effectively with food-related emergencies, such as deliberate contamination of food by terrorists," said Dr. Lester M. Crawford, Acting FDA Commissioner. "The ability to trace back will enable us to get to the source of contamination. The records also enable FDA to trace forward to remove adulterated food that poses a significant health threat in the food supply."



The final regulation is the fourth regulation designed to increase the safety and security of the U.S. human and animal food supply under the authority of the "Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002" (the Bioterrorism Act).



The record retention period for human foods ranges from six months to two years depending on the shelf life of the food. Records for animal food, including pet food, must be retained for one year. The maximum record retention requirement for transporters of all types of food is one year.



Records must be retained at the establishment where the activities covered in the records occurred or at a reasonable accessible location. To minimize the burden on food companies affected by the final rule, companies may keep the required information in any format, paper or electronic. All businesses covered by this rule must comply within 12 months from the date the rule is published in the Federal Register, except small and very small businesses. Small businesses (11-499 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs)) must comply within 18 months from this date, and very small businesses (10 or fewer FTEs) have to comply within 24 months from this date.



When FDA has a reasonable belief that an article of food is adulterated and presents a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals, any records or other information to which FDA has access must be available for inspection and copying as soon as possible, not to exceed 24 hours from time of receipt of the official request. The records access authority applies both to records required to be established and maintained by the final rule, or any other records a covered entity may keep to comply with federal, state, or local law or as a matter of business practice.



The Bioterrorism Act allows FDA to bring a civil action in federal court to enjoin the persons who fail to comply with this rule. FDA also can seek criminal actions in federal court to prosecute persons who fail to establish and maintain records, as required by the final rule.



FDA has already issued three other final regulations under the Bioterrorism Act, which are in effect. They cover:



Registration foreign and domestic food facilities;

Prior notice of food shipments imported or offered for import into the U.S.; and

Administrative detention, so that food products that might pose a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death may be detained.

FDA will be holding seven public meetings in January and February 2005 to explain the requirements of the final rule to interested parties and answer questions.

[4lgdfriend]

new piece up on howl911 with a VERy convincing review of how the substances (not)found originated from GMO grains, as I previously suspected and posted. I repeat: What this says is: it’s not just wheat gluten it’s wheat and maybe other grains.



The links I previously posted: GMO corn causes liver, kidney problems in rats: study http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=A1018BD684F0C6A62F01999A180E764B



http://www.drpitcairn.com/nutrition/gm_foods.html

[Steve]

The Pet Food Institute should start an emergency fund to compensate all veterinary expenses incurred as a result of this—and any future—mass poisonings of people’s beloved animal companions.Dr. Michael W. Fox

Comment by Linda — April 5, 2007 @ 2:12 pm





"The management of Menu Foods (it is a publicly traded company, so there is no one “owner”) is not in a position to guarantee that owners of affected pets will be fully reimbursed for veterinary expenses. They can’t manufacture money out of thin air, and if this incident pushes the company into bankruptcy (which it certainly could), a bankruptcy court — not executives or owners of the company — will determine who gets compensation and how much.



Menu Foods had 2006 net income of CAD 6.4 million, and 2005 net LOSS of CAD 55 million. The matter of determining which pets were sickened or died due to this food vs. other costs is very expensive and uncertain, and could result in expensive litigation. And there will no doubt be many pet owners trying to get compensation for vet visits and tests done as a precaution, even though no illness was found. It would be totally irresponsible of the company’s management to make blanket promises of reimbursement which they may not be able to deliver on, and which might induce pet owners to incur huge veterinary bills that they are unable to afford themselves, believing that it will be paid for by the company."

[Linda]

LARGEST PET FOOD RECALL EVER

A Genetic Engineered Food Disaster?

By Dr. Michael W. Fox

I have received several letters from dog and cat owners thanking me for ‘saving their animal’s lives’ because they were feeding them the kind of home-made diet that I have been advocating as a veterinarian for some years. These letters came after the largest pet food recall in the pet food industry’s history.

On March 23, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that rat poison in contaminated wheat gluten imported from China was responsible for the suffering and deaths of an as yet uncounted numbers of cats and dogs across North America. The poison is a chemical compound called aminopterin.

Veterinary toxicologists with the ASPCA and American College of Internal Veterinary Medicine shared my concern that there may be some other food contaminant (s) in addition to the aminopterin that was sickening and killing many pets. Experts were not convinced that the finding of rat poison contamination was the end of the story.

On March 30, the FDA reported finding a widely used compound called melamine (formed by dehydration of urea and used in the manufacture of plastics, as a wood resin adhesive, and in slow-release urea fertilizer), in the suspect pet foods. The FDA claims the melamine was the cause of an as yet uncounted number of cat and dog poisonings and deaths. The FDA could not find the rat poison, aminopterin, in the samples it analyzed; however a lab in Canada, at the University of Guelph, has confirmed the presence of rat poison. There may be other substances of a hazardous nature not yet discovered in these manufactured pet foods that include other ingredients considered unfit for human consumption, and from around the world.

The Associated Press cited the Environmental Protection Agency as having identified melamine as a contaminant and byproduct of several pesticides, including cryomazine. People began to question if there is also pesticide contamination of the wheat gluten. Is there a possibility of deliberate contamination, or is it the result of gross mismanagement and lack of effective food-safety and quality controls that accounts for levels of melamine reported to be as high as 6.6% by the FDA in samples of the wheat gluten?

A brief internet search quickly reveals that the widely used insect growth regulator cryomazine is not only made from melamine, but it also breaks down into melamine after ingestion by an animal. Wheat gluten is wheat gluten, fit for human consumption, so the question remains, what was wrong with this gluten that it was only bought for use in pet food?

On April 3 Associated Press named the US importer as ChemNutra of Las Vegas, reporting that the company had recalled 873 tons of wheat gluten that had been shipped to three pet food makers and a single distributor who in turn supplies the pet food industry.

What of the uncounted number of people whose cats and dogs became sick, and even died? Several letters that I have received indicate costs of in the thousands of $ per animal; and what of long-term care costs for animals suffering from chronic kidney disease?

While Congressional hearings are now being called for by grieving pet owners, and class action suits put together, this debacle could have catastrophic consequences not only for conventional agribusiness, of which the pet food industry is a lucrative subsidiary, but also for the agricultural biotechnology industry, with its millions of acres of genetically engineered crops around the world.

I reach this conclusion, until there is evidence to the contrary, for the following reasons:

1. The wheat gluten imported from China was not for human consumption, because, I believe, it had been genetically engineered. The FDA has a wholly cavalier attitude toward feeding animals such ‘frankenfoods’ but places some restrictions when human consumption is involved (yet refuses appropriate food labeling).

2. The ‘rat poison’ aminopterin is used in molecular biology as an anti-metabolite, folate antagonist, and in genetic engineering biotechnology as a genetic marker. This could account for its presence in this imported wheat gluten.

3. The ‘plastic’, ‘wood preservative’, contaminant melamine, the parent chemical for a potent insecticide cyromazine, could well have been manufactured WITHIN the wheat plants themselves as a genetically engineered pesticide. This is much like the Bt. insecticidal poison present in most US commodity crops that go into animal feed.

4.So called ‘overexpression’ can occur when spliced genes that synthesize such chemicals become hyperactive inside the plant and result in potentially toxic plant tissues, lethal not just to meal worms and other crop pests, but to cats, dogs, birds, butterflies and other wildlife; and to their creators. (For details, see my book Killer Foods: What Scientists Do to Make Food Better is Not Always Best. Lyon’s Press, 2004).

How else can one account for samples of pet food containing as much as 6% melamine? It was surely not mixed in such amounts when the wheat gluten was being processed, but rather was already in the wheat, along with the aminopterin genetic marker. My suspicion is that the FDA was aware that the gluten came from genetically engineered wheat that was considered safe for animal consumption.

I could be wrong. But a greater wrong is surely for the pet food industry to use food ingredients and food and beverage industry by-products considered unfit for human consumption; to continue to do business without any adequate government oversight and inspection; and for government to give greater priority to agricultural biotechnology and the patenting of genetically engineered crops and animals, and not to organic, humane, ecologically sound and safe food production.

I believe that there is evidence of gross negligence, not simply on the part of the pet food industry, but by all who are responsible for food quality and safety in the global market that is clearly dysfunctional. The Pet Food Institute should start an emergency fund to compensate all veterinary expenses incurred as a result of this---and any future---mass poisonings of people’s beloved animal companions.







Dr. Michael W. Fox

[Linda]

The Dr. Michael W. Fox article was from howl911

[Steve]

How are Americans supposed to know whats going on when these companies and brands are sneaking PR Wire releases out on the internet? This needs to be getting onto mainstream primetime television news. They are using PR firms and these PR firms aren't stupid. They know they can get away with breaking the rules, using this loophole to stay legal. Not every one in this country has the luxury of monitoring the internet 24/7 for these things.



And guess who gets stuck holding the bag?

[Sandro]

Tammy K., thanks for that insight. We could only wish more industry insiders came forward.

[dottie]

I have been saying all along that my beautiful CJ catgirl went into ARF the end of November and that it likely was the front end of this food recall situation ~ and most everyone looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about. How many more will there be . . . I am beyond angry! Just hope I can get my blood pressure back down to non-stroke levels!!!



dottie

[Kathi]

Nutro can just go to hell. They keep saying pouches, but I had CANS!!! and DRY!!! for cats and DRY!!! for dogs. Beans the cat started puking foamy crap just days after eating this stuff (7 cans) and she didn't even eat all on her plate. And she started hanging out by the water bowl something she never did before. Anna the dog only ate dry, after awhile she started licking her paws. Reading all these posts and the links I think I'm foaming now.

[Lorraine Takahashi NY]

This info that I am about to post requires validation by those with better search skills than I possess.



I reviewed the petsitusa food list with staff at a petfood store to determine which foods, if any, I should consider purchasing.



We reviewed 'evolve' which states brands include Hi-Tor, Pet Gold and Triumph, with the comment numerous attempts to contact them proved unsuccessful.



The staffer then informed me Sunshine had just purchased this company.

[E. Hamilton]

Now, maybe, all the really offensive news reports that called me (and most of you) " hysterical, over reacting, fanatic pet owners" and worse, those are going to stop?

I should just shut up and quit all this nonsense of making my own pet food because the pet food companies can do it better?

It was all just my overactive imagination that sicked and killed my beloved pets?

I really did not pay all those vet bills?

I did not clean vomit off every surface of my house and watch my cats suffer?

It was _my_ paranoia that made me think there was a cover up?

I DEMAND an apology from every single news agency that added to my pain.

[Steve]

Just hope I can get my blood pressure back down to non-stroke levels!!! Comment by dottie — April 5, 2007 @ 2:16 pm



You and me both

[Robin]

I would like to know if there is any system in place to alert small mom and pop type stores, many with language barriers. They all seem to carry some canned and dry pet food. I'll bet there is still stuff sitting on the shelves. Many older people don't even have a computer and newspaper here hasn't printed a complete list in days. Lots of these type of stores go to costco or wal-mart and buy cases then put it on their shelves.

[Kim]

Gina - check your email. A Washington Post reporter wants to talk to you. Great guy, very sharp. :-)

[Maureen]

From deepharm.com



April 1, 2007:



Corruption at food inspection agency shocks Congress



Last Thursday, the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee demanded explanations from officials of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for paying lavish bonuses to senior officials while claiming it lacked funds to carry out inspection activities. Subcommittee chair Rosa deLauro expressed shock at the outrageous scheme.



It is incomprehensible to me how an agency that nearly went bankrupt in fiscal year 2006 and is cutting training for front-line inspectors gave out almost half a million dollars in bonuses to senior executives,” DeLauro said. “This is money that could have been used for more training or for more inspectors, but however you look at it, it should have been spent for the public health. (Government Executive)



The response from Undersecretary Richard Raymond failed to satisfy the Subcommittee.



Raymond said the bonus money was departmental and the agency could not reclaim it. (Reuters)



Raymond’s answer appears to implicate Bush appointees. When agency officials refer to the “department,” they generally mean Departmental Administration, which includes the Secretary, USDA, and other political appointees.



The biggest shock came when the Undersecretary admitted that the Agency had ignored federal laws for 30 years by failing to ensure daily and uninterrupted inspections at meat plants.



For three decades, U.S. inspectors visited 250 meat processing plants as rarely as once every two weeks despite federal law requiring daily inspection, Agriculture Department officials admitted to lawmakers on Thursday.



“All I can say is, it’s been going on for a long time,” said Undersecretary Richard Raymond to the House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture. “It’s going to stop now.” (Reuters)



The agency’s plan to replace the current inspection system with a new system that it calls “risk-based inspection” also received criticism. Rep. DeLauro was skeptical that the agency’s plan was based on adequate data (GovExec), a reasonable view in light of the agency’s flawed sampling program for detecting mad cow disease. The agency’s proposal to focus inspections on plants with the worst records ignores the fact that deliberate or chemical contamination can appear out of the blue, as it did in the current pet food contamination crisis.



The Subcommittee plans to call back Raymond for a second hearing in April (Reuters), when more of its members will be available. Hopefully, they will look further back than 2006, and examine the agency’s actions in 2004 and 2005, when officials also abandoned responsibilities, allegedly for lack of funds, even as they lavished themselves with bonuses, promotions and overseas travel. Congress might also ask why the agency gave more than a million dollars in contracts to a firm with Bush administration ties while the agency marginalized and drove out staff experts.

[Nadine Long]

Re Letter from Dr. Michael Fox



"My suspicion is that the FDA was aware that the gluten came from genetically engineered wheat that was considered safe for animal consumption."

The woman I spoke with at the FDA the other day insisted that it was PET FOOD GRADE. When she said there are only two grades of wheat gluten, one for human consumption and one for pet food. I questioned her on this and indicated I was confused as I understood there was human/pet grade and feed grade. She said, no ... just human grade and animal grade. I believe this is our answer. Feed grade, genetically engineering, for our pets?



This is why the FDA continues to report that this wheat gluten did not go into the human supply.



They don't even know their own rules.

[Linda]

Nadine, it is very disconcerting. And you are right: human/pet food grade and feed grade - just two.

[Nadine Long]

Comment by Maureen — April 5, 2007 @ 2:30 pm



We simply must stop the slaughter of our own nation.

[Linda]

If it is G.E. wheat - then the government of China knows about it.....their scientist knows about it....



And we suffer. Nice uh!

[Nadine Long]

Comment by Linda — April 5, 2007 @ 2:33 pm



Linda, remember when the other day we both questioned this!!! Ever since then I've been researching genetically engineered wheat. I posted something about phenols...more of which is in the red wheat and causes the resin to reform in the digestive system...and therefore lands up as crystals in the kidneys. I posted this the other day but guess I was way ahead. I'm not a scientist by any means...it was just common sense. I'm tracking back to some of the sites I visited. I've been looking for one thing all morning which will say very much...when I find it.

[Nadine Long]

Red wheat is used for feed grade. There's less phenol in white which doesn't affect humans.

[Linda]

Good going Nadine. I believe that it has been mentioned before. And I've read so much that everything just blurrrrs after awhile.



Try to find it. You know that you can do a search by going to each thread and doing a "find" and putting in the key word right?

[Steve]

Friend don't forget to check out the new lead story by Gina.



You won't believe this.