Animals
The FDA is investigating that the plastic might have been added to the wheat gluten intentionally, as a cheap way to up the protein content.
Here’s the transcript .
CNN's Joe Johns is "Keeping Them Honest" tonight. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day would end with a provocative question: Was the pet food accidentally contaminated. Or was it deliberate? But it began with another recall, this time, an Alabama company that makes dog biscuits. It received some of the suspect wheat gluten containing a chemical known as melamine, believed toxic to dogs and cats. The FDA said recall of the products manufactured by Sunshine Mills pet food company was delayed, because Sunshine apparently got its Chinese wheat gluten from a middleman distributor that had purchased the wheat gluten from another U.S. supplier, a company called ChemNutra.
DR. STEPHEN F. SUNDLOF, DIRECTOR, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION CENTER FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE: So, it was a little circuitous route, took us a little longer to trace that all down. But now we believe that we have accounted for all the wheat gluten that came from China, that shipment that is -- that is high in melamine, that we have accounted for all of it that has come into this country. And -- and, by the way, it all went into pet food.
JOHNS: Meaning it did not enter the human food supply chain. How and where the melamine got into the wheat gluten is still a mystery. But the investigation took a new turn today, when the FDA told CNN it is looking whether there could have been a profit motive for deliberately introducing melamine into the wheat gluten. In other words, it might not have been an accident and may have been about money. (on camera):
That's right. Until now, the assumption has been that this was an accidental contamination, because melamine is used in plastics and pesticides, and has no business in pet food. However, the chemical could potentially be used to raise protein levels in the gluten, which could increase the price or make it easier to sell.
SUNDLOF: That's -- that's one of the theories that we have. In fact, that's one of the ones that we are pursuing, because, as you indicated, adding something that would increase the protein content of the wheat gluten would make it more valuable. So, that's -- that's a distinct possibility. But it's -- it's only one theory at this time.
JOHNS (voice-over): All the companies, including the company in China, have denied adding melamine to the wheat gluten in the pet food. The FDA also that the number of pet food complaints it's received since the start of the scare is now at 12,000, the volume it would normally get over a two-year period. In announcing the latest recall, Sunshine Mills said, no dog illnesses or deaths have been traced to its dog biscuits, which contain 1 percent or less of wheat gluten.
Pet owners aren't the only ones watching. Plans for hearings in the Senate have now firmed up.
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: What's happened over the last several weeks is unacceptable. What we have found is a threat to the lives of pets, dogs and cats, across America, a threat that should have been minimized and maybe even avoided.
JOHNS: When asked whether the worst is over, the FDA says it thinks so. The number of dead pets as a result of all this remains unclear. Officially, FDA only confirmed 16, though the real number is likely to be much higher. Joe Johns, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Information about this story is changing every day. For the latest on which brands are being recalled, you can find a list on the FDA's Web site. The address is www.FDA.gov. That's www.FDA.gov -- G-O-V.
- Pet Food Recall ~ From Itchmo
Do read the whole post, but I just had to comment on this. The deaths of dozens of dogs and cats nationwide have been linked to imported pet food containing Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical melamine. (Emphasis ours.) How many times have...
- Thursday Thirteen #15
Thirteen Things about The Pet Food Recall Whiskers died March 9, 2007 of Kidney Failure after eating Special Kitty Pouch cat food.Menu foods knew there was something wrong with the food as early as February 20th, 2007 (maybe sooner).The contaminated...
- Dry Pet Food May Not Be Safe Fda Says
In a news conference, FDA officials said that the apparently melamine-contaminated wheat gluten also was shipped to a company that manufactures dry pet food, but they would not name the company. The FDA is attempting to determine if that company used...
- More News On The Pet Food Recall
I would give anything if Whiskers was still alive, no matter how high the medical bill. The pet food recall is still a hot topic in the news. Owners Furious Over Deadly Pet Food RecallAnd they still don't know why our pets died needlessly.The Food...
- More Info On The Pet Food Recall
Whiskers died March 9th, 2007 of kidney failure after eating Special Kitty Pouch cat food. From CBS News An unknown number of cats and dogs had suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, veterinarian and CBS News correspondent...
Animals
Menu Foods may have intentionally added plastic to the wheat gluten to increase profits
The FDA is investigating that the plastic might have been added to the wheat gluten intentionally, as a cheap way to up the protein content.
Here’s the transcript .
CNN's Joe Johns is "Keeping Them Honest" tonight. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day would end with a provocative question: Was the pet food accidentally contaminated. Or was it deliberate? But it began with another recall, this time, an Alabama company that makes dog biscuits. It received some of the suspect wheat gluten containing a chemical known as melamine, believed toxic to dogs and cats. The FDA said recall of the products manufactured by Sunshine Mills pet food company was delayed, because Sunshine apparently got its Chinese wheat gluten from a middleman distributor that had purchased the wheat gluten from another U.S. supplier, a company called ChemNutra.
DR. STEPHEN F. SUNDLOF, DIRECTOR, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION CENTER FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE: So, it was a little circuitous route, took us a little longer to trace that all down. But now we believe that we have accounted for all the wheat gluten that came from China, that shipment that is -- that is high in melamine, that we have accounted for all of it that has come into this country. And -- and, by the way, it all went into pet food.
JOHNS: Meaning it did not enter the human food supply chain. How and where the melamine got into the wheat gluten is still a mystery. But the investigation took a new turn today, when the FDA told CNN it is looking whether there could have been a profit motive for deliberately introducing melamine into the wheat gluten. In other words, it might not have been an accident and may have been about money. (on camera):
That's right. Until now, the assumption has been that this was an accidental contamination, because melamine is used in plastics and pesticides, and has no business in pet food. However, the chemical could potentially be used to raise protein levels in the gluten, which could increase the price or make it easier to sell.
SUNDLOF: That's -- that's one of the theories that we have. In fact, that's one of the ones that we are pursuing, because, as you indicated, adding something that would increase the protein content of the wheat gluten would make it more valuable. So, that's -- that's a distinct possibility. But it's -- it's only one theory at this time.
JOHNS (voice-over): All the companies, including the company in China, have denied adding melamine to the wheat gluten in the pet food. The FDA also that the number of pet food complaints it's received since the start of the scare is now at 12,000, the volume it would normally get over a two-year period. In announcing the latest recall, Sunshine Mills said, no dog illnesses or deaths have been traced to its dog biscuits, which contain 1 percent or less of wheat gluten.
Pet owners aren't the only ones watching. Plans for hearings in the Senate have now firmed up.
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: What's happened over the last several weeks is unacceptable. What we have found is a threat to the lives of pets, dogs and cats, across America, a threat that should have been minimized and maybe even avoided.
JOHNS: When asked whether the worst is over, the FDA says it thinks so. The number of dead pets as a result of all this remains unclear. Officially, FDA only confirmed 16, though the real number is likely to be much higher. Joe Johns, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Information about this story is changing every day. For the latest on which brands are being recalled, you can find a list on the FDA's Web site. The address is www.FDA.gov. That's www.FDA.gov -- G-O-V.
- Pet Food Recall ~ From Itchmo
Do read the whole post, but I just had to comment on this. The deaths of dozens of dogs and cats nationwide have been linked to imported pet food containing Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical melamine. (Emphasis ours.) How many times have...
- Thursday Thirteen #15
Thirteen Things about The Pet Food Recall Whiskers died March 9, 2007 of Kidney Failure after eating Special Kitty Pouch cat food.Menu foods knew there was something wrong with the food as early as February 20th, 2007 (maybe sooner).The contaminated...
- Dry Pet Food May Not Be Safe Fda Says
In a news conference, FDA officials said that the apparently melamine-contaminated wheat gluten also was shipped to a company that manufactures dry pet food, but they would not name the company. The FDA is attempting to determine if that company used...
- More News On The Pet Food Recall
I would give anything if Whiskers was still alive, no matter how high the medical bill. The pet food recall is still a hot topic in the news. Owners Furious Over Deadly Pet Food RecallAnd they still don't know why our pets died needlessly.The Food...
- More Info On The Pet Food Recall
Whiskers died March 9th, 2007 of kidney failure after eating Special Kitty Pouch cat food. From CBS News An unknown number of cats and dogs had suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, veterinarian and CBS News correspondent...