U.S. FDA Stops Imports From Chinese Company in Pet Food Recall

[PhilipShore]

Source: Bloomberg

April 2 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration stopped imports from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer whose wheat gluten tested positive for a substance found in pet foods linked to animal deaths.

At least four pet-food manufacturers have pulled some of their products from U.S. shelves, including Menu Foods Ltd., which initiated the recall of 60 million cans of dog and cat food March 16. The official death count stands at 16 although the FDA has received more than 8,000 complaints.

The originator was identified as Xuzhou Anying, said Purina spokesman Keith Schopp. The Chinese company was a new supplier for Purina in mid-February.

Menu Foods produced its contaminated pet products between December and March, said company spokeswoman Sarah Tuite, who declined to name the supplier. Del Monte Co.'s pet products division used the suspected wheat gluten in the last three months, said Mary Sestric, who also declined to name the supplier. Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. spokeswoman Amy Thompson didn't return a call.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a8QLLaf1zK0M&refer=us

[AndyA]

1. It's about time.

Now we need to do something about the other things we import from overseas, and our jobs that we export overseas.

That will be good enough for a start...

[durtee librul]

2. Guess we need now to google

that company and see who really controls it. Probably Bill Frist and Judy Guilani......:sarcasm:

[Donnachaidh]

3. as usual -- late

How many deaths have already happened? How many pets have been damaged beyond repair? :grr:

[Lasher]

Not good enough

The conditions that led to the poisoning are not specific to one Chinese supplier. We need to block all imports of wheat gluten from China until they assure us the condition has been rectified. If we had mad cow outbreaks here you can be sure other countries would not confine their prohibition of US beef imports to the farms where they occurred.

We shouldn't be importing Chinese wheat products anyway, as long as they continue to block US wheat imports to their country.

[PhilipShore]

5. Contact Congress

Take action now -- contact your elected officials at the Legislative Action Center.

http://capwiz.com/fconl/home/">Link

[PearliePoo2]

9. would you recommend

contacting our senators and voicing a complaint against importing wheat from China?
Is this a Senate issue? I'll call Murray and Cantwell if so.
I certainly think that NAFTA and free trade can be to blame for this...along with neutering the FDA and other watchdog Fed agencies by this administration.
I'm really afraid where all this tainted wheat gluten may have been distributed.
It's probably sitting in my pantry and cupboard right now.
There could be a national panic if it has been used in food for human consumption.
The fact that they are not naming the distributor makes me think it has already happened.
fucking corporate greedy criminal bastards

[PhilipShore]

10. Yes

Your ideas seem good -- the MSM news has been to quiet about this. I would ask them (Congress) to have the Center for Disease Control look into it -- because the company acknowledged, that the Wheat Gluten was "food grade" meant for human consumption.

______________________________________________


Post Chronicle
Dog Food & Cat Food Recall Might Turn Into Human Food Recall
By Staff
Apr 2, 2007

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/health/article_21272473.shtml">Link

Dog Food & Cat Food Recall Update - The Dog food and cat food recall has become more confusing by the minute. And now comes an alarming report that the Human food supply may have been contaminated.

According to David Goldstein of the Huffington Post, a Del Monte spokesperson wrote a reply to an e-mail query in which she says "Yes, it is food grade."

David Goldstein has more:

'Wheat gluten is sold in both "food grade" and "feed grade" varieties. Either may be used in pet food, but only "food grade" gluten may be used in the manufacture of products meant for human consumption. Published reports have thus far focused on tainted pet food, but if the gluten in question entered the human food supply through a major food products supplier and processor, it could potentially contaminate thousands of products and hundreds of millions of units nationwide.

[Eugene]

4. I'm almost afraid to ask. Who were they still shipping to? n/t

[DCKit]

6. I'd say look in your freezer, but

that would be mean.

[asjr]

7. Until this mess came about I didn't

know cats and dogs liked Chinese food. That wasn't very funny. We have been feeding our dogs and cats people food for about a week now.

[Penndems]

8. This is a start, but the FDA - and Congress - need to block importation

of all wheat gluten products produced in the PRC.

[aquart]

11. Who else did their suppliers sell the food grade gluten to?

How much is in American foods?

[Heidi]

12. Kick.

:kick:

[DeepModem Mom]

13. U.S. Blocks Wheat Gluten Linked to Pet Food Recall

Source: Reuters

U.S. Blocks Wheat Gluten Linked to Pet Food Recall
By REUTERS
Published: April 2, 2007

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health officials have told import inspectors to detain wheat gluten shipments from a Chinese company identified as the supplier involved in a major recall of pet food.

A notice from the Food and Drug Administration directed inspectors to stop all wheat gluten imports from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd.

The FDA said wheat gluten supplied by the company to Menu Foods was found to contain melamine, a chemical used in plastics and fertilizers. Menu Foods has recalled 60 million cans and pouches of ``cuts-and-gravy'' style wet pet food sold under various brands after the deaths of 14 cats and dogs.

Melamine should not be in pet food, but its presence has not been confirmed as the cause of any pet sickness or death, the FDA said on Friday....

***

FDA officials told reporters on Monday there was no sign that wheat gluten contaminated with melamine has entered the human food chain.

"At this time, we can say there is no evidence'' the gluten was used in food products for people,'' said Michael Rogers of FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-petfood.html

[Erika]

14. I've lost all confidence in the imports to this country

If they have the power/ignorance to kill our pets, they could also kill us.

[SoCalDemGrrl]

15. I agree, there is wheat gluten in many items for human consumption

It's frightening what peril this administration has placed us in.

God help us.

[mzmolly]

16. Ahhh, the pat "there is no evidence" line.

They do it well.

[shraby]

17. And the air was clean in NYC after 9/11

:sarcasm: