4/07/07
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to blame tainted wheat gluten for recent cat and dog illnesses and deaths, a mounting number of complaints about sick and dying animals who ate only dry food that did not contain wheat gluten strongly suggests another source of contamination.
Evidence from reputable laboratories indicates that an excessive amount of vitamin D in pet food may be to blame. Vitamin D overdoses produce symptoms similar to those seen in animals who recently have become sick or died after consuming only dry foods.
This morning, PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich made an urgent appeal to Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, asking the agency to refocus its investigation beyond wheat gluten -- which is used almost exclusively in wet foods -- and consider other possible contaminants.
In his letter, Friedrich points out that last year, a manufacturing error in the production of Royal Canin pet food resulted in excessive amounts of vitamin D-3 in the food, causing hypercalcemia, an abnormally high level of calcium in the blood that caused animals' kidneys to malfunction.
Symptoms associated with excessive vitamin D-3 intake appear identical to the symptoms that are being reported in dogs and cats now, leading PETA to believe that vitamin D-3 may be implicated in the current spate of pet food contamination.
On Monday, PETA called on FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach to resign over the agency's mishandling of the pet food crisis.
"The FDA is feeding the public a line, and the American people's faith in the government is dying along with dogs and cats," says Friedrich. "The agency's failure to pinpoint the cause of death for animals who have eaten only dry food is cause for the commissioner to resign or be fired."
http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.p ... -poisoning
Pet Food Recall
Moderator: Super Moderators
Menu Foods CFO sold shares right before pet food recall
TORONTO -- The chief financial officer of Menu Foods Income Fund (TSX:MEW.UN) sold nearly half his units in the pet food maker less than three weeks before it announced a massive product recall, according to insider trading reports.
The reports show that Mark Wiens sold 14,000 units for $102,900 (US$89,700) on February 26 and February 27. As of Monday's close of $4.46, the units would be worth $62,440.
After the sale, Wiens owned 17,193 units and had options to buy 101,812, the trading reports show.
On March 16, the Mississauga, Ontario, pet food maker recalled 60 million containers of "cuts and gravy" style pet food amid reports of pet deaths due to contamination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified an industrial chemical called melamine in wheat gluten it said was shipped by a Chinese company to ChemNutra Inc. of Las Vegas. ChemNutra then sold the ingredient to Menu Foods and a few other companies that have since recalled pet products.
Wiens was not available for comment, but company spokesman Sam Bornstein said on Tuesday "there was no link whatsoever" over the timing of the trades and the pet food recall.
"This is a guy who conducts himself to the highest ethical and moral standards and he wouldn't do anything to imperil the high governance standards that he demands of himself and the company," said Bornstein.
"In fact, to do so would compromise his ability to make a living."
Wiens told the Globe and Mail newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday it was a "horrible coincidence" that he sold nearly half his units before the pet food recall.
He added he did not hear of any possible problem with the company's products until early March. Wiens also told the newspaper that the Ontario Securities Commission, Canada's senior equities watchdog, had not approached him over the timing of the trades.
Menu Foods' president and chief executive, Paul Henderson, said at a press conference late last month that Menu Foods had stopped using its Chinese supplier of wheat gluten on March 6.
Last week, the company expanded its recall to include products made between November 8 and March 6, and 27 more varieties sold in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Units of Menu Foods were down 9 cents, or 2%, at $4.37 on the Toronto Stock Exchange by mid-afternoon, and off about 40% since the recall.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/fina ... f4f&k=8594
Interesting
The reports show that Mark Wiens sold 14,000 units for $102,900 (US$89,700) on February 26 and February 27. As of Monday's close of $4.46, the units would be worth $62,440.
After the sale, Wiens owned 17,193 units and had options to buy 101,812, the trading reports show.
On March 16, the Mississauga, Ontario, pet food maker recalled 60 million containers of "cuts and gravy" style pet food amid reports of pet deaths due to contamination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified an industrial chemical called melamine in wheat gluten it said was shipped by a Chinese company to ChemNutra Inc. of Las Vegas. ChemNutra then sold the ingredient to Menu Foods and a few other companies that have since recalled pet products.
Wiens was not available for comment, but company spokesman Sam Bornstein said on Tuesday "there was no link whatsoever" over the timing of the trades and the pet food recall.
"This is a guy who conducts himself to the highest ethical and moral standards and he wouldn't do anything to imperil the high governance standards that he demands of himself and the company," said Bornstein.
"In fact, to do so would compromise his ability to make a living."
Wiens told the Globe and Mail newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday it was a "horrible coincidence" that he sold nearly half his units before the pet food recall.
He added he did not hear of any possible problem with the company's products until early March. Wiens also told the newspaper that the Ontario Securities Commission, Canada's senior equities watchdog, had not approached him over the timing of the trades.
Menu Foods' president and chief executive, Paul Henderson, said at a press conference late last month that Menu Foods had stopped using its Chinese supplier of wheat gluten on March 6.
Last week, the company expanded its recall to include products made between November 8 and March 6, and 27 more varieties sold in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Units of Menu Foods were down 9 cents, or 2%, at $4.37 on the Toronto Stock Exchange by mid-afternoon, and off about 40% since the recall.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/fina ... f4f&k=8594
Interesting
Hi Avi, please check this thread out. A little more information on the stocks and what the FDA thinks happened.
showthread.php?s=&threadid=27290
showthread.php?s=&threadid=27290
People need to Stop " Martha Stewarting" it!
Horrible coincidence my butt!!
There are no such thing as coincidences!!!!!
You know...there's one thing I'm not sure if they all looked at...
It's called Propylene glycol, first cousin to ethylene glycol (antifreeze), is found in many semimoist dog foods. It causes the destruction of red blood cells, kidney failure, anemia.....etc......
also...fat stabilizer is introduced to prevent rancidity. The common chemicals used are BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytolulene), both known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Some European countries prohibit the use and importation of these preservatives. Another fat stabilizer often used is Ethoxyquin, suspected of being a cancer-causing agent.
So far its about wheat gluten and plastic chemical.
I don't feed my dog store bought , but make my own because My last dog got sick (20 years ago) from kidney failure.
It took me 20 years to get over it and I'm not going through that again!!!!
Come On Pam Anderson!!!! Kick the FDA's butts!!!!
Horrible coincidence my butt!!
There are no such thing as coincidences!!!!!
You know...there's one thing I'm not sure if they all looked at...
It's called Propylene glycol, first cousin to ethylene glycol (antifreeze), is found in many semimoist dog foods. It causes the destruction of red blood cells, kidney failure, anemia.....etc......
also...fat stabilizer is introduced to prevent rancidity. The common chemicals used are BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytolulene), both known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Some European countries prohibit the use and importation of these preservatives. Another fat stabilizer often used is Ethoxyquin, suspected of being a cancer-causing agent.
So far its about wheat gluten and plastic chemical.
I don't feed my dog store bought , but make my own because My last dog got sick (20 years ago) from kidney failure.
It took me 20 years to get over it and I'm not going through that again!!!!
Come On Pam Anderson!!!! Kick the FDA's butts!!!!
-
Divinorumus
- Pirate
- Posts: 3712
- Joined: 08-09-2004 10:17 PM
You know, I've been waiting to hear more about this, because if THAT is the cause, then THAT problem hasn't been fixed yet, or at least I've not heard it has been fixed, and thus they should still be recalling ALL of that pet food still on the shelves even if it doesn't contain rat poison or tainted wheat gluten but excessive vitamin D, right? I don't understand how they can not be totally certain about what the cause or all of the causes of pet death were due to yet, but are still selling that crap. I was at Petco yesterday to get some crickets for Edgar the spider and I saw Iams and Science Diet and those other recalled effected brands on the shelves. How can that be unless they know for CERTAIN what the causes of all those deaths where? Seriously, if it is a vitamin thang now, is that still an issue and if not, when was that fixed and nobody told? This whole thang reeks like a scandal.Evidence from reputable laboratories indicates that an excessive amount of vitamin D in pet food may be to blame.
And more Recalls
More Cat Food Recalled; U.S. Warns Retailers to Pull Products
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- A Canadian pet food manufacturer widened its recall of contaminated pet food one more time as U.S. health officials warned consumers Thursday that some of the recalled products may still be on store shelves.
Menu Foods, of Streetsville, Ontario, has now added a variety of canned cat food made at its home plant to what appears to have become the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.
The company, in a statement late Tuesday, said it had pulled the latest products after finding that contaminated wheat gluten, used to make pet food gravy, had been shipped to one of its Canadian plants.
Up until that point, the recall of millions of cans and pouches of moist tainted food had involved more than 100 brand names made only at the company's Kansas and New Jersey plants.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found traces of the contaminant, the chemical melamine, in sample tests at the company's Streetsville plant on Tuesday. And, the agency said in a prepared statement, Menu Foods informed FDA officials that "it had shipped some of the wheat gluten from its Emporia, Kansas plant to its plant in Streetsville."
The FDA, meanwhile, is urging U.S. retailers to remove all products associated with the pet food recall, which began March 16.
The agency said it had conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores across the country and "believes most companies have removed the recalled product; however, some have not."
"FDA's priority is to make sure that cats and dogs have safe food to eat," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Many of us are pet owners and animal lovers, and we want pet owners to feel assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure that all contaminated food is off the shelves."
The new varieties of cat food in the recall include selected products under the brand names: Nutro, Pet Pride, America's Choice, Winn Dixie, Publix and Price Chopper.
A full list of all the recalled products is available on the FDA Web site. The list will be updated with any new recall information when announced, the FDA said.
The nationwide recall was based on the finding that melamine, a chemical used to make plastics, wound up in the pet food and in the wheat gluten imported from China that was used in the food. The recall initially covered manufacture dates from December through early March, but last week Menu Foods expanded the manufacture time back to November.
Also last week, Sundlof said the FDA still had no idea how many pets have died or become sick from the recalled food, beyond the 16 confirmed deaths so far.
"We know that there are a lot more animals that have been affected by this -- made ill and died -- but trying to put an estimate to it at this time is just not something we can do," Sundlof told reporters at the time.
To date, the FDA has received more than 12,000 calls to its consumer complaint line -- a record number, he added.
But on Monday, a large veterinary chain reported that there was a 30 percent increase in kidney failure among cats during the three months the contaminated food was sold before the recall, the Associated Press reported.
Banfield, The Pet Hospital, a large veterinary hospital chain, said that data from more than 615 of its clinics showed that three out of every 10,000 cats and dogs seen at the clinics developed kidney disease during that time.
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health ... 03668.html
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- A Canadian pet food manufacturer widened its recall of contaminated pet food one more time as U.S. health officials warned consumers Thursday that some of the recalled products may still be on store shelves.
Menu Foods, of Streetsville, Ontario, has now added a variety of canned cat food made at its home plant to what appears to have become the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.
The company, in a statement late Tuesday, said it had pulled the latest products after finding that contaminated wheat gluten, used to make pet food gravy, had been shipped to one of its Canadian plants.
Up until that point, the recall of millions of cans and pouches of moist tainted food had involved more than 100 brand names made only at the company's Kansas and New Jersey plants.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found traces of the contaminant, the chemical melamine, in sample tests at the company's Streetsville plant on Tuesday. And, the agency said in a prepared statement, Menu Foods informed FDA officials that "it had shipped some of the wheat gluten from its Emporia, Kansas plant to its plant in Streetsville."
The FDA, meanwhile, is urging U.S. retailers to remove all products associated with the pet food recall, which began March 16.
The agency said it had conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores across the country and "believes most companies have removed the recalled product; however, some have not."
"FDA's priority is to make sure that cats and dogs have safe food to eat," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Many of us are pet owners and animal lovers, and we want pet owners to feel assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure that all contaminated food is off the shelves."
The new varieties of cat food in the recall include selected products under the brand names: Nutro, Pet Pride, America's Choice, Winn Dixie, Publix and Price Chopper.
A full list of all the recalled products is available on the FDA Web site. The list will be updated with any new recall information when announced, the FDA said.
The nationwide recall was based on the finding that melamine, a chemical used to make plastics, wound up in the pet food and in the wheat gluten imported from China that was used in the food. The recall initially covered manufacture dates from December through early March, but last week Menu Foods expanded the manufacture time back to November.
Also last week, Sundlof said the FDA still had no idea how many pets have died or become sick from the recalled food, beyond the 16 confirmed deaths so far.
"We know that there are a lot more animals that have been affected by this -- made ill and died -- but trying to put an estimate to it at this time is just not something we can do," Sundlof told reporters at the time.
To date, the FDA has received more than 12,000 calls to its consumer complaint line -- a record number, he added.
But on Monday, a large veterinary chain reported that there was a 30 percent increase in kidney failure among cats during the three months the contaminated food was sold before the recall, the Associated Press reported.
Banfield, The Pet Hospital, a large veterinary hospital chain, said that data from more than 615 of its clinics showed that three out of every 10,000 cats and dogs seen at the clinics developed kidney disease during that time.
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health ... 03668.html
SETIsLady wrote: We are totally unprepared if a terrorist should decided to go this same route !! This is totally unorganized, and is moving at a turtles pace. We need answers !!
Yes and that was mentioned regarding a terror plot...but it went no where in the interviewing process.....many of them are in bed with the industry.
Natural Balance Recalls Pet Food
Company Recalls Two Products After Reports Of Animals Vomiting And Experiencing Kidney Problems
AP) Natural Balance Pet Foods recalled two kinds of pet food after receiving reports of animals vomiting and experiencing kidney problems, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday.
The recall includes all date codes of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food. The company does not know the cause of the problem, but said it is focused on one particular lot.
Natural Balance Pet Foods is working with the FDA to investigate the matter and is urging consumers to not feed either pet food product to their animals.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with an industrial chemical, melamine.
At least six pet food companies have recalled products made with imported Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical. The recall involved about 1 percent of the U.S. pet food supply.
FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said the agency had no indication that the Natural Balance case is related to the melamine problem.
For more information, visit http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com or http://www.fda.gov.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/ ... 6784.shtml
Company Recalls Two Products After Reports Of Animals Vomiting And Experiencing Kidney Problems
AP) Natural Balance Pet Foods recalled two kinds of pet food after receiving reports of animals vomiting and experiencing kidney problems, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday.
The recall includes all date codes of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food. The company does not know the cause of the problem, but said it is focused on one particular lot.
Natural Balance Pet Foods is working with the FDA to investigate the matter and is urging consumers to not feed either pet food product to their animals.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with an industrial chemical, melamine.
At least six pet food companies have recalled products made with imported Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical. The recall involved about 1 percent of the U.S. pet food supply.
FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said the agency had no indication that the Natural Balance case is related to the melamine problem.
For more information, visit http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com or http://www.fda.gov.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/ ... 6784.shtml
The austin Fox network did an interview with an Austin Vet and found two dogs whose owner switched them over to Natural Balance a few weeks ago to watch his animals stop eating after developing kidney problems.
Contact:
Consumer Inquiries:
(800) 829-4493
Media Inquiries:
Daniel Bernstein
310-275-0777
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Pacoima, CA -- April 17, 2007-- Natural Balance, Pacoima, CA, is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall for all of its Venison dog products and the dry Venison cat food only, regardless of date codes. The recalled products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. Recent laboratory results show that the products contain melamine. We believe the source of the melamine is a rice protein concentrate. Natural Balance has confirmed this morning that some production batches of these products may contain melamine.
The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by Natural Balance involving a small number of cats and dogs that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product.
Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should be seen by a veterinarian. We recommend our customers immediately stop feeding our recalled venison products regardless of date code and return unused product to their retailer for a full refund.
The products are packaged in bags, cans and zip lock treat bags and sold in pet specialty stores and PetCo nationally.
No other Natural Balance products are involved in this voluntary recall as none of our other formulas include the rice protein concentrate.
Although the problems seem to be focused on a particular production period of the venison products, over the last four days we have notified our distributors and retailers by phone and e-mail to immediately stop selling and return all recalled Venison dog foods and treats and the Venison dry cat food. Venison canned cat food is not involved.
The source of the melamine appears to be a rice protein concentrate, which was recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination.
None of Natural Balance’s other dry formulas, none of our other canned or roll products and none of our other treats are involved with this voluntary recall.
We continue to work closely with the FDA in their ongoing investigation.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-829-4493 or email [email protected].
Contact:
Consumer Inquiries:
(800) 829-4493
Media Inquiries:
Daniel Bernstein
310-275-0777
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Pacoima, CA -- April 17, 2007-- Natural Balance, Pacoima, CA, is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall for all of its Venison dog products and the dry Venison cat food only, regardless of date codes. The recalled products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. Recent laboratory results show that the products contain melamine. We believe the source of the melamine is a rice protein concentrate. Natural Balance has confirmed this morning that some production batches of these products may contain melamine.
The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by Natural Balance involving a small number of cats and dogs that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product.
Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should be seen by a veterinarian. We recommend our customers immediately stop feeding our recalled venison products regardless of date code and return unused product to their retailer for a full refund.
The products are packaged in bags, cans and zip lock treat bags and sold in pet specialty stores and PetCo nationally.
No other Natural Balance products are involved in this voluntary recall as none of our other formulas include the rice protein concentrate.
Although the problems seem to be focused on a particular production period of the venison products, over the last four days we have notified our distributors and retailers by phone and e-mail to immediately stop selling and return all recalled Venison dog foods and treats and the Venison dry cat food. Venison canned cat food is not involved.
The source of the melamine appears to be a rice protein concentrate, which was recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination.
None of Natural Balance’s other dry formulas, none of our other canned or roll products and none of our other treats are involved with this voluntary recall.
We continue to work closely with the FDA in their ongoing investigation.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-829-4493 or email [email protected].
-
Shimmering Auro
- Pirate
- Posts: 1600
- Joined: 12-25-2005 05:59 AM
Posting This Just In Case It Has Not Been Added!
Pet food recall expanded on new finding By ANDREW BRIDGES, Associated Press Writer
Wed Apr 18, 8:44 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_ ... ood_recall
WASHINGTON - An industrial chemical that led to a nationwide recall of more than 100 brands of cat and dog foods has been found to contaminate a second pet food ingredient, expanding the recall further.
The chemical, melamine, is believed to have contaminated rice protein concentrate used to make a variety of Natural Balance Pet Foods products for both dogs and cats, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Previously, the chemical was found to contaminate another ingredient, wheat gluten, used by at least six other pet food and treat manufacturers.
Natural Balance said it was recalling all its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, its Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and its Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
The Pacoima, Calif., company said recent laboratory tests showed the products contain melamine. It believes the source of the contaminant was rice protein concentrate, which the company recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination, it said.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with melamine, used in making plastics and other industrial processes. Five other companies later recalled pet products also made with wheat gluten tainted by the chemical.
The FDA has since blocked Chinese imports of wheat gluten. An FDA spokeswoman did not immediately return messages left seeking comment.
Wed Apr 18, 8:44 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_ ... ood_recall
WASHINGTON - An industrial chemical that led to a nationwide recall of more than 100 brands of cat and dog foods has been found to contaminate a second pet food ingredient, expanding the recall further.
The chemical, melamine, is believed to have contaminated rice protein concentrate used to make a variety of Natural Balance Pet Foods products for both dogs and cats, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Previously, the chemical was found to contaminate another ingredient, wheat gluten, used by at least six other pet food and treat manufacturers.
Natural Balance said it was recalling all its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, its Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and its Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
The Pacoima, Calif., company said recent laboratory tests showed the products contain melamine. It believes the source of the contaminant was rice protein concentrate, which the company recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination, it said.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with melamine, used in making plastics and other industrial processes. Five other companies later recalled pet products also made with wheat gluten tainted by the chemical.
The FDA has since blocked Chinese imports of wheat gluten. An FDA spokeswoman did not immediately return messages left seeking comment.