AnimalVoicesNews Natural Balance recall covers the following items for all dates:
Venison and Brown Rice Treats for Dogs Venison and Brown Rice Canned Formula for Dogs Venison and Brown Rice Dry Food for Dogs Venison and Green Pea Dry Food for Cats Consumer Inquiries: 1-800-829-4493 or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Web: <http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/press_release.html> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> Source: AP Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18173908/ Chemical found in second pet-food ingredient Nationwide recall expands to include rice protein, FDA says Slide show\ Updated: 5:06 p.m. MT April 18, 2007 WASHINGTON - An industrial chemical that led to the nationwide recall of more than 100 brands of cat and dog food has turned up in a second pet food ingredient imported from China. The discovery expands the monthlong cascade of recalls to include more brands and varieties of pet foods and treats tainted by the chemical. ³This has exposed that the safety standards for pet foods are not in place in any significant way and the kind of drumbeat, day after day, of recalls has shaken consumers¹ confidence in the pet food industry¹s adherence to food safety standards,² said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the United States. 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. The FDA has there is no evidence so far to suggest any of the rice protein went to companies that make human food, said Michael Rogers, director of the agency¹s division of field investigations. But the FDA has not accounted for all the imported ingredient. Previously, the chemical was found to contaminate wheat gluten used by at least six other pet food and treat manufacturers. Both ingredients were imported from China, though by different companies and from different manufacturers. The FDA on Wednesday began reviewing and sampling all rice protein concentrate imported from China, much as the agency has been doing for wheat gluten, Rogers said. A lawmaker said Wednesday the Chinese have refused to grant visas to FDA inspectors seeking to visit the plants where the ingredients were made. An FDA spokesman later said the visas were not refused but that the agency had not received the necessary invitation letter to get visas. ³It troubles me greatly the Chinese are making it more difficult to understand what led to this pet food crisis,² Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told The Associated Press after meeting with the FDA commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach. A message left Wednesday with the Chinese Embassy in Washington was not immediately returned. Natural Balance announces recall 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 recalls now include products made by at least seven companies and sold under more than 100 brands. The Pacoima, Calif., company said recent laboratory tests showed its recalled products contain melamine. Natural Balance believes the source of the contaminant was rice protein concentrate, which the company recently added to the dry venison formulas. A San Francisco company, Wilbur-Ellis Co., began importing the ingredient in July from a Chinese company, Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd., according to Wilbur-Ellis president and chief executive John Thacher. It resold the ingredient to five pet food manufacturers, including Diamond Pet Foods Inc. of Meta, Mo. Diamond manufactured the dry dog and cat foods recalled by Natural Balance, Diamond Pet Foods spokesman Jim Fallon said. Thacher declined to identify his company¹s other four customers, except to say two tested the ingredient and found no melamine. Wilbur-Ellis has not heard from the other two, both of whom received limited amounts of the ingredient, Thacher said. The FDA¹s tests detected melamine in a rice protein sample; the agency would not disclose the sample¹s origin. The source of the melamine remains unclear. It may have contaminated the rice protein through the reuse of dirty bags used to ship the products. Shipment was isolated Thacher said an April 4 delivery from Futian Biology included 146 1-ton bags of rice protein concentrate. All were white except for a single pink bag, which was stenciled ³melamine.² Wilbur-Ellis isolated the entire shipment at a Portland, Ore. warehouse and sent out samples for testing. The pink bag¹s contents tested positive for melamine while the two white bags tested were negative, Thacher said. Futian Biology later told Wilbur-Ellis that a damaged bag was replaced with a clean one, Thacher said. The company then ³certified the product was all fine,² he added. The Las Vegas importer of the contaminated Chinese wheat gluten, ChemNutra Inc., that led to the original pet food recall has suggested that spiking a product with melamine can make it to appear to be richer in protein during tests, thus increasing its value. ChemNutra also imported rice protein concentrate from China, though from another source. Spokesman Steve Stern said the company is testing those shipments. The recalls began March 16 when Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that had eaten its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with melamine, which is 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. Menu Foods continues to add more varieties to its recall list. Menu Foods spokesman Sam Bornstein did not know if the Streetsville, Ontario-based company also used rice protein concentrate as an ingredient in its pet foods, sold under more than 100 different major and store brands. A House committee is holding a food safety hearing Tuesday and is expected to discuss the pet food recall. Click for related content <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18173908/> * Tainted pet food still on shelves * List of recalled brands * Dealing with devil dogs and crazy cats * Discuss your concerns about pet-food safety © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. © 2007 MSNBC.com © 2007 Microsoft ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> <http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/press_release.html>. Below Natural Balance Pet Foods,® Inc. Issues A Voluntary Nationwide Recall on Specific Venison Dog & Cat Food Products 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 Balance¹s 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 1-800-829-449 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> This is distibuted for nonprofit research and educational purposes only. 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