Pet Food Recall Expands
Here are the latest updates in the ongoing problems with pet foods. Purina has recalled a limited number of dog food products. This affects their "Prime Cuts in Gravy" brand only and only with certain dates codes. The other news is that the culprit appears not to be pesticide on Chinese wheat, but rather a plastic used as a fertilizer in foreign countries - but not licensed for use in the US.
Nestle Purina PetCare Co., which manufactures the 71-year-old brand, announced Friday that it was voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food that are marked with specific date codes. The company acted after learning that wheat gluten containing melamine — a toxin suspected of causing the pet illnesses — had contaminated cans at one of Purina's 17 pet-food manufacturing facilities.
Company officials emphasized that the contaminant affected a "limited production quantity" and that Alpo products are safe. "We're very confident that we've isolated this problem," said Keith Schopp, a spokesman for Nestle Purina. "This is just one canned variety of Alpo, and it's one of many varieties of Alpo canned products. No dry products are involved. No cat products are involved."
Washington area animal hospitals said the announcement added to anxiety over the recalls that have transfixed pet owners nationwide the past two weeks. The Food and Drug Administration has received more than 8,000 calls about ill pets, although it hasn't confirmed more than 14 or 15 deaths. Pet owners and veterinarians in the United States and Canada are reporting higher numbers………
…….Federal officials initially suspected a chemical used in rat poison as the culprit but said Friday that melamine had been found in pet food samples, in imported wheat gluten and in the urine and tissue of ill pets. Melamine is used in fertilizer in Asia and in plastic products but is not registered as a fertilizer in the United States.
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, Nestle Purina said. The company said the code information should be checked on the bottom of the can and the top or side of the multi-pack cartons.
Melamine (in this country) is used to produce particle board and kitchen utensils. Apparently it is being used as a fertilizer, although I have no idea why. Or maybe that's just the excuse for them dumping it in places.
By crosspatch, Sunday, 1 April , 2007 @ 10:29 pm
Or a large shipment of gluten came across from China in a cargo hold that had been used to ship melamine in the past. I am wondering when they are going to trace portions of that shipment to human food manufacturers. Are we going to find out that we have been eating it in our Cinnabons?
By PBurns, Wednesday, 4 April , 2007 @ 7:19 pm
For a post on the uneasy relationship between pet food, PETA and wheat gluten, see >> http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2007/04/peta-pet-food-and-wheat-gluten.html
P.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 4 April , 2007 @ 7:25 pm
Good post.