Pet food recall: Some things to do tonight

• If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.


• If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes information on recalled foods).


• If you want to report a sick or deceased pet, click here.

No doubt your heads are as close to exploding as mine is. So, first on the list is to clean up the skull fragments and gray matter from the keyboard. When you're done:

Come join itchmo, petfoodtracker, thepetfoodlist.com, Gina, and me for a live pet food recall chat over on PetHobbyist.com at 10 PM Eastern Time/7 PM Pacific. Links and info here.

How are you at multi-tasking? Because, also at 10 PM ET, you need to catch Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN - our contacts on their staff say they "interviewed the General Manager of Binzhou Futian Biologic Technology Company - in jail - where he is being held by Chinese authorities after his company was shut down – he claims he has no idea what melamine is – also we have interesting footage of what the inside of a Chinese melamine factory actually looks like."

And by way of a round-up of things not to miss in the news, on other blogs, and here:

A veterinarian speaks from last night - powerful stuff from Louise Murray, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM, the Director of Medicine at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital.

News and commentary from itchmo, David Goldstein, the AP, and more as we update throughout the evening.

I liveblogged today's FDA/USDA media telebriefing - hopefully the transcript will be out tomorrow, but until then, this should infuriate hold you.

And last, our own story: The FDA says another pet food recall may be coming.

See you at the chat!

Update: The transcript from today's FDA/USDA conference is up! Check it out!

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Comments

[Steve]

Feb 20th - Menu Foods receives first reports of problems with pet food.

Feb 26th - Menu foods commence tests on 50 animals.

Feb 26th & 27th - Menus CFO sells half his shares for $102,900.

March 16th - Recall announced. Share price plunges

April 10th - CFO calls this a “horrible coincidence”

[Steve]

Only been in business a year didn't he say recently?



ChemNutra Inc.

Founded: 2003

Contact: Steve Miller



We import raw materials from China for distribution to the energy drink and nutritional supplements industries.



http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/guide/Listing.asp/li/49724

[straybaby]

but Steve, how could you leave off that they are the "China Specialists"



and I could have sworn something about 12yrs . . . .

[Carole]

E coli breakout at two grocery stores...news at 9:00pm.



What now!

[straybaby]

it's gotta be beef or turkey if not both!!!!!

[Jenny]

Thanks Christie and Gina for your hard work. I'll be there at 10!

[Steve]

"Rather than receding, the story seems to be growing."



Commentary: News stories highlight complexities of ensuring food safety

California Farm Bureau Federation

Issue Date: May 9, 2007



http://tinyurl.com/22lq45

[Steve]

ChemNutra, Steve Miller, Chinese Connection

No nice guys among robber barons in pet food industry.



http://tinyurl.com/2fgsxv

[Linda]

The only sane thing to do now - eat fresh veggies and avoid processed foods at the cost of your life - even vitamins should be avoided. Nothing is safe. The FDA is not telling us the truth. Shame on them.

[Eva]

Melamine Found In Oregon Hatchery



PORTLAND - The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that melamine has been found in fish feed at the Marion Folks Hatchery in Oregon.



The manager at the hatchery discontinued use of the feed, labeled as Bio Vita Starter, when the FDA contacted him about testing. The grade of food is used as a starter diet for juvenile salmon and trout.



The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife contacted the company to find out if the feed was shipped to other hatcheries. Representatives from the Skretting Co. confirmed that the same lot was sent to the Willamette, Gnat Creek, Big Creek, Cole Rivers, Butte Falls and Leaburg hatcheries.



Hatchery managers immediately discontinued using any remaining fish feed from the lot in question and notified the FDA.



“Although officials from the FDA have not associated any risk to the fish or humans as a result of the melamine finding, we’ve stopped using the lot #32734 feed,” said Steve Williams, ODFW deputy fish administrator.



The fish feed is manufactured in Vancouver, Canada by the Skretting Co. It’s distributed under the Bio-Oregon label out of Longview, Wash.



http://tinyurl.com/ytnopm

[Eva]

David Goldstein at Huffington Post:



"FDA: The Faith-Based Dining Administration"



http://tinyurl.com/2ptqes

[Marilyn]

Does anybody remember when it used to be fashionable to have a bowl of brightly-colored plastic fruits and veggies on the table as a centerpiece? I guess plastic food is coming back in style! :)

[straybaby]

"The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife contacted the company to find out if the feed was shipped to other hatcheries."



Why the F*** doesn't/can't the FDA just say to the ODoF all the hatcheries that may have bad feed?! Not asking for it to be broadcast (like THAT's gonna happen!) but at LEAST alert those feeding. Don't make them chase around for answers.

[Steve]

Hopefully each day is a step in the right direction for those who want to see more hands on regulation of the pet food industry.



http://tinyurl.com/28xs7f

[Carole]

Keep all the LA Zoo Animals in your thoughts as they fight the fire in Griffith Park. They don't think the animals will need to be evacuated by apparently have a plan in place just in case.

[Eva]

The same Bio Vita Starter, #1 crumble grade, lot #32734, feed produced by Skretting Co. of Vancouver, B.C., part of a lot purchased last December, was shipped to six other Oregon hatcheries, which have also stopped using it, Hargrave said.



http://tinyurl.com/2kenmb

[Carole]

"it’s gotta be beef or turkey if not both!!!!!"



I checked our online paper earlier, turns out it is ground beef found in two stores locally. Could have been on shelves for up to one month.

[Carole]

"Hargrave said the fish that ate contaminated feed are not expected to carry it in their bodies as they grow."



One sliver of good news...

[Steve]

The Mystery of the missing contaminated pet food stories

Canada Free Press, Canada - Apr 29, 2007

First one to fall from the radar screen was the International Herald-Tribune's "Feed sellers in China routinely use protein substitute." ...



http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/cover043007.htm

[Lorna]

Christie said,"No doubt your heads are as close to exploding as mine is."



I have a theory.

To my mind it's absolutely impossible that the FooDrA-dudes et al believe the bafflegab they are spewing forth at every oportunity.It HAS to be intentional....the 'Who's on First' plaform they have adopted(well,since he beginning really).And it has nothing to do with a sense of humour.

They have read about your recent head explosion(s),Christie,or perhaps have had someone read it to them.But I digress.

A plan was born.

They would band together and pledge to utter only the most outlandish,most outrageous,most illogical,harmful,unthinking,enraging,and absurd comments/solutions/excuses.Inso doing they would cause all bloggers/blog followers to suffer head explosions a la Christie ,and voila...they would rid themselves of all those pesky questions from the whining,hysterical,high - maintenance pet parents.



But then Christie said,"So, first on the list is to clean up the skull fragments and gray matter from the keyboard."



Oops.I don't think they counted on that!



Lorna

[Steve]

NATURAL BALANCE PET FOODS INC, PACOIMA, CA

Samples 5. Passed 1. Percent Passed: 20%

Tests 50 Passed 46 Violations: 2 Protein, 1 Ash, 1 Weight, Net



From Kentucky’s feed sample testing 2005.



http://www.rs.uky.edu/sections/feed/feedbulletins.php

[elliott]

We live in Omaha, finally our local news covered that fish may be contaminated, however, no known harm to humans- only kills cats and dogs, ( MY observations here). All of a sudden, this is getting exposure. Pet food, hogs, chicken, fish. Why the wait to get media attention. Running out of ideas what to eat?

[Carole]

I'm watching Anderson Cooper, is anyone else?

[Carole]

The manager from Binzhou claims he has been falsely accused and is being used as a scapegoat. He claims he has never heard of melamine and doesn't know what it is.



He says he is being held because the US suspects tainted product came from China.



So this other guy who manufactures corn gluten is upset because other companies can use melamine in their fake product and he can't so he is losing business cuz everyone wants the cheaper stuff.

[Cheryl Hansen]

We no longer find a lot of cheap dinnerware made of melamine in the United States. Why? Because there was overwhelming evidence that melamine leached into the food. There ARE long-term effects of melamine exposure. If you've a little time and a curious mind, and want the scientific proof, spend some time at Entrez PubMed. Then go to the EPA website and see what melamine contamination has already been legislated, years and years ago. The science is there. The USDA/EPA/FDA has had the data for years. As they try to downplay this, it is against the evidence they already have. The FDA just chooses to ignore it. BTW: anyone else notice that a lot of the information on melamine at the FDA and USDA and EPA websites were all changed over the weekend? The Google search computer captured the "change" dates. Nah! I'm just a fanatical, over-excited, paranoid, pet owner.

[Carole]

Cheryl, what do you mean by changed over? Give an example of a melamine change on the FDA, I'm curious.

[Laura]

Has anyone read the Washington Post's online chat today? I'm deeply disturbed. The vet, Robert Poppenga, heads up the toxicology dept. at UC Davis Vet school, which I've always considered a darned good one. But the guy really comes off as clueless!



i.e - caller says, "OK, so we check the label. But what assurance do we have that the label is truthful and accurate?"



"Robert Poppenga: Well, the only thing that I can say is that (in theory at least), pet food labels are tightly regulated as to the product's ingredients. I cannot answer the question of the current degree of oversight by the FDA, but the regulations exist."



Oh, really? Has the guy read the news since March?



(That was just after he spouted off about the dangers of homecooking.)



The reporter wasn't that much brighter, sad to say.



All is well, apparently, even at UC Davis. Move along, folks...nothing to see here.

[PJ]

I still don't get the confusing of wheat gluten/wheatflour. WAY WAY back at the beginning of all of this....didn't one of the testing labs say something like It's taking a long time to test because the gluten is sticky and gooey? I have never seen flour come out of a bag sticky and gooey?!

[Cathy B Oregon]

I just got thru watching Anderson Cooper 360 and he did a real good job with pictures and

talking to different people about the total

picture: pet food, chickens, fish ect. I was

real impressed with the total amount of time

and dept to the show he did. Hopefully more

people will realize the pet food/melamine

problem is still going on.

[VJ]

Comment by Carole 8:20pm

Yes, Carole. Watched the Cooper piece too. Was almost ready to give up and turn TV off. Good piece. Only wish they had let Atcheson finish his comments and not cut it off.

[nancy]

"Melamine suspected in hog deaths in China"



Hong Kong television broadcasts and newspapers recently contained accounts of pigs staggering around with blood pouring from their bodies. ...rest here:



http://www.northplattebulletin.com/index.asp?show=news&action=readStory&storyID=12152&pageID=29



Nnacy

sorry if this has already been posted.

[VJ]

Comment by Laura 8:34Pm

Robert Poppenga:well in theory I can only say pet food labels are tightly regulated.....yeah right! Our government allows around 300 ingredients that can go into foods without the companies having to list them on labels.

[sam]

Nancy



WOW, if that is true and they can prove that the pigs are dying from the melamine, then I guess the FDA/USDA/CDC/EPA etc are incorrect. Wouldn't that be a hoot.



This is getting really scary



sam

[Carole]

VJ, I almost gave up cuz I was tired of hearing about the lady with the painting. I missed the beginning of Atcheson's comments but saw the rest. I was surprised at how young the dude in jail was - for some reason I pictured an older dude.



But I wonder why he would try to stick to a story about not knowing what melamine is when everyone else in China seems to know,

[Laura]

Please forgive if this is old news, but it just popped up on my crawler - AP reports China has detained two more managers and "some" other employees at Xuzhou Anyong and Binzhou Futian.



http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/09/asia/AS-GEN-China-Pet-Food-Recall.php

[nancy]

Ok-here is another hog story. This one from the SF Gate. Source of hog deaths "unkown", but the blood part is true....



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/08/MNGC9PMOOF1.DTL&type=health



Nancy

[The OTHER Pat]

Too funny. Here is one of the comments from the Goldstein blog:



"Bush, intoxicated from his brush with royalty, says to America: “Let them eat melamine.” (Of course, he would mangle a three-syllable word like melamine.)"

[Carole]

I talked with Blue Buffalo earlier today and told them about the fish meal. They had not yet heard that but looked at the internet while I was on the phone.



You could hear the frustration in their voice, that 'when will this end' mixed with 'we're really tired of this' along with 'another ingredient, good grief' tone that we all know.



One good thing is that they are testing all finished product so even if the problem ingredient changes, they can still detect melamine problems. So in that respect it is a step in the right direction to test all finished product.

[sam]

I have now come to the firm conclusion that the federal government will do ANYTHING to avoid panic. Until we are all running around with blood pouring from our bodies they will deny, deny, deny



sam



head was calm now starting to explode again

[Laura]

Something humorous (?) from another site:



Dr. Diane Levitan at vetspecialist.com -

"Don't believe the blogs! Listen to the FDA! Pet food is safe! and for God's sake, DON'T try to make your own!"



Oy.



You can read her stuff here:

http://www.vetspecialist.com/misc/food_recall.htm

Scroll to the bottom (past the entire FAQ from the FDA, posting lovingly in its entirety) to the section titled "Some final points to keep in mind." Nice.



You know, with all due respect to Dr. Levitan, if it weren't for all the information this blog and others, I'd very likely have four sick or dead pets right now.



So I'll take the blogs anyday over the FDA AND Dr. L, both of whom seem to be suffering from the same strain of cranial rectoma. :)

[straybaby]

Comment by Laura — May 8, 2007 @ 8:56 pm



"However, suspicions were raised when the company was found to have posted an advertisement on the Web site of an online market in March seeking to buy melamine."



hey! looks like they may be catching up with the blogs! think they'll connect the patent trail next?!

[Maureen]

Comment by Laura — May 8, 2007 @ 8:34 pm



"Has anyone read the Washington Post’s online chat today? I’m deeply disturbed. The vet, Robert Poppenga, heads up the toxicology dept. at UC Davis Vet school, which I’ve always considered a darned good one. But the guy really comes off as clueless!



i.e - caller says, “OK, so we check the label. But what assurance do we have that the label is truthful and accurate?”



“Robert Poppenga: Well, the only thing that I can say is that (in theory at least), pet food labels are tightly regulated as to the product’s ingredients. I cannot answer the question of the current degree of oversight by the FDA, but the regulations exist.”



Can you provide a link so we can read this?

[Kim]

PJ - EXCELLENT catch! ("didn’t one of the testing labs say something like It’s taking a long time to test because the gluten is sticky and gooey? ")



You're absolutely right!

[Cathy B Oregon]

I just checked out Kgw.com and the poll question is how safe do you feel our food is? I voted and the results say only 13 have taken the poll and the not at all leads. It is with the story about the fish food at the Oregon fisheries being tested positive for memimine.

Everyone go vote as it is one more way we have a voice.

[Laura]

Maureen, the Wash Post chat transcript is here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/05/04/DI2007050401776.html?hpid=discussions



And a shout-out from me to whoever figured out how to shrink those crazy URLs. :)

[straybaby]

From the transcript:

DR. ACHESON: To try to answer the second part of your question, first of all just to maybe clarify a point, this product did come into the United States labeled as wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate, so if that's what's being targeted it would find this. In terms of how did we discover this, it was a combination of assays that were done to determine this. First of all using something called stereoscopic light microscopy and polarized light microscopy, and this essentially just characterizes the product initially and is just sophisticated direct visual microscopy. That's been followed by a type of chromatography that is looking specifically at levels of starch, and it's based on those two criteria that the forensic chemistry center was able to determine that the levels in starch that we found in these products were such that it made it very likely that it was wheat flour.

*********************

so who's going out to buy wheat gluten and rice protein tomorrow?



i just really feel like it's time for some down home kitchen experiments . . . starting with lininig two products up next to wheat flour, lol!

[mal]

Ok..totally different line of thought...Corporation espionage.



Purina is now buying out Nutro..probably st a real steal of a price. Say Purina wanted to scoop up the major share of the pet food market. Cargill/Purina has a lot of offices in China:



http://www.cargillchina.com/locations/dc_china_loc_en.htm



Nestle-Purina/ Cargill is one big multi-national corporation. What is the chance that they have the power to make sure that their competitors "accidently" receive highly tainted glutens, which sets off this whole domino affect. Purina only had a small amount of their product recalled which makes them look like they were victims of the tainted foods.



Probably way off base,but after almost 8 weeks of following this who knows what is really happening.

[straybaby]

I thought Mars was buying Nutro?



but i wouldn't doubt the 5 biggies are sitting there ready to scoop up the smaller companies

[mal]

Comment by straybaby — May 8, 2007 @ 9:43 pm



Sorry..It is Mars that is buying Nutro. My brain is frazzled and fried lately!!

[Leslie k]

Re Mal's post- I thought Mars was buying Nutro. Is Mars a Nestle/ Purina/ Gerber company too?And they own Cargill?