alwayshadpets

Wait till you see the amount at the bottom.

Agricultural products distributor Wilbur-Ellis has issued a nationwide recall of all lots of rice protein concentrate, after the Food and Drug Administration found additional samples testing positive for melamine. The company is now urging all pet food manufacturers using its rice protein concentrate to recall any pet food that may still be on supermarket shelves.


In an unfolding public health crisis already marked by inexplicable incompetence and willful foot-dragging, Wilbur-Ellis' press release would border on the comic if the implications weren't so potentially tragic:

"Last Sunday, April 15, Wilbur-Ellis notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that a single bag in a recent shipment of rice protein concentrate from its Chinese supplier, Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd., had tested positive for melamine. Unlike the other white-colored bags in that shipment, the bag in question was pink and had the word 'melamine' stenciled upon it."
You'd think, just maybe, the pink bag with the word "melamine" on it might have been a bit of a giveaway, yet on Tuesday, April 17, when I asked the FDA to confirm or deny an impending recall, and specifically mentioned that my source said "the rice protein concentrate has 'melamine' listed on the bag," the FDA categorically denied the rumor, insisting that the information on its website "is up to date."

Within hours, Natural Balance recalled products due to melamine-tainted rice protein concentrate.

And now, a few days later, we learn that the "white bags" have tested positive for melamine too, establishing a broad pattern of adulteration that we must assume to be intentional until proven otherwise.

First wheat gluten was found to be contaminated with melamine, then rice protein concentrate -- and despite FDA denials, I'm hearing corn gluten may be next. But why would manufacturers intentionally spike high-protein food additives with melamine, a urea-derived chemical used in plastic and slow-release nitrogen fertilizer? Steve Pickman, a VP at MGP Ingredients, the nation's largest domestic producer of wheat gluten, explores one theory:

"It is my understanding, but certainly unheard of in our experience, that melamine could increase the measurable nitrogen of gluten and then be mathematically converted to protein. The effect could create the appearance or illusion of raising the gluten's protein level. Understandably, any acts or practices such as this are barred in the U.S. How the U.S. can or cannot monitor and prevent these types of situations from occurring in other parts of the world is the overriding question."
Wilbur-Ellis began importing rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology in July 2006. A total of 14 containers holding 336 metric tons of rice protein concentrate were sent from Futian to Wilbur-Ellis. Wilbur-Ellis has distributed 155 metric tons to date.

alwayshadpets

If you are all getting tired of this let me know.

Keep an eye on corn gluten also.
Hours after a Food and Drug Administration spokesperson denied that the already massive pet food recall would be expanded to include products containing rice and corn gluten, Natural Balance has confirmed that it has found melamine in its rice gluten, and is now recommending that customers avoid all of its products containing this ingredient.

Melamine-tainted wheat gluten, imported from China, had previously been blamed for what has grown to become largest pet food recall in U.S. history, with over 39,000 dogs and cats sickened or killed. Natural Balance says that the contaminated rice gluten was produced by a U.S. company, raising further questions as to the broader safety of the food supply.

Earlier today, after receiving a tip from an industry insider that products containing tainted rice and corn gluten were about to be recalled, I contacted an FDA Public Affairs officer for confirmation, and received a quick and firm response:

From: Castro, Veronica
Sent: Tue 4/17/2007 12:37 PM
To: David Goldstein
Subject: RE: From FDA

Rice gluten and corn gluten are not being recalled. The latest information we have is on our website. It is up to date.

Then again, this was the same spokesperson who emailed me that she had no information about a previous recall… six days after it was issued. I can only conclude that the FDA is keeping its Office of Public Affairs as much in the dark as it is keeping the public.

I have received no confirmation that tainted corn gluten is also suspect, but at this point I have no reason to doubt my original source. Given this new information and past experience, I personally will not serve my pets — or my family — any product containing wheat, rice or corn gluten until the FDA and the industry have proven to me that their products are safe to eat.

If you wonder about melamine in foods this is why.
Melamine gives a higher nitrogen reading, which is what they use to test for protein content.

To date over 39,000 thousand dogs and cats have been sickened or died.

My thought is keep your guard up for your pets and yourselves.

BackInBlack

That is sickening. Solid Gold (Which is what I normally feed) issued this statement on their website, just in case anyone is interested.....

We at Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc. ("Solid Gold') realize that consumers are very concerned with the recent product food recalls. We would like to assure our customers that there are no safety concerns with Solid Gold products. The product recalls and removals have centered around ingredients sourced in China, in particular wheat gluten and now rice protein concentrate. These products are thought to be contaminated with melamine. Neither of these ingredients are used in any Solid Gold food products, nor do we source any ingredients from China, either directly or indirectly. We do not use gluten meal of any kind in any of our foods.

All the ingredients in Solid Gold products are sourced domestically with three exceptions. The lamb meal used in our dry foods is sourced from New Zealand, which produces some of the cleanest meat in the world. The potato protein used in Barking at the Moon is sourced in Europe. Our Blended Tuna canned cat food (grain free) is produced offshore due to the lack of tuna processing plants in the United States.


I personally feel safe feeding their products. Canine Caviar is another brand that I feel safe using. Their canned products are meat only, they contain no gluten.

I have recently switched my pack to raw...so far so good. I do however have Ziris still eating Solid Gold, because she only eats when she tracks. So....I have 3 huge bags of food left for her to track on haha.

This recall is really scary for alot of pet owners, and I feel sorry for each and every one of them who has had a pet become ill or worse...die.

I think now more than ever, we as pet owners need to demand quality nutrition for our pets.

__________________

alwayshadpets

BIB Thanks for that info.
I was a believer in Natural balance and thought I was having good results. The cats were on 3 different kinds of dry. One of which was the Venison & Green Pea. One of the 16 year old concerns me now. I can`t put my finger on it, but something is amiss. I am watching her like a hawk. She has other issues too, so it is tricky.

T was on the venison & rice. She had diarrhea problems and this food worked well for her. Needless to say she is off it now. The only good thing was that only about half her intake was coming from that food. The rest was meats and cheese for training. Now I am cooking for her. Some for Copper who is on the Innova RM.
So I am a little paranoid now with all foods.

ps4570

This is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better...

In another development, it appears that some of the contaminated rice protein concentrate made its way in to hog feed. The extent of the problem isn't known. It's also not known if hogs fed the contaminated food have made it into the human food chain, the FDA reported.

"We do understand that one of the companies that was manufacturing pet food had some pet food that was unfit for pets and it made its way into some hog feed," Sundlof said. "We are following up on that."

Meanwhile in South Africa, melamine has been found in Royal Canin pet food company's Vets Choice and Royal Canin dry dog and cat food sold exclusively in South Africa and Namibia. The source of the melamine appears to be from corn gluten imported from China, according to published reports.

BackInBlack

I dont blame you one bit. It really is scary......think about all the food and treats...gosh, who knows what is next. I read somewhere else that heartguard (merial) was testing all of its products, as it contains gluten. Not from the same company, but they are testing to be sure.

It is so scary, its to the point where it would be easier to just make a list of the safe foods rather than list out all of the recalls!

I am so sorry to hear about your kitty. I really hope that everything turns out okay for her. (and all of your others as well) I just hate it for you that you have to worry about it. We will be sending good thoughts your way.

__________________

alwayshadpets

Thanks BIB . All my treats now are things we eat. Beef sticks, cheese, hot dogs. Tastes better when I hold them in my mouth too.( for training)
Muffin kitty is enjoying the tuna I have been hand delivering to her too. She still is not quite right though. Sooz sent me a PM that helped cheer me up. Thank you again.